All The World's A Stage
by Writing Sux
Summary: Lauren Lewis is in an ambitious race to become the next President of The United States. The race has affected many aspects of her life and a life changing event occurs that puts her campaign at risk. OPA is hired to get her elected and deal with the challenges that threaten the campaign. (I'm trying a delicate balancing act with the two shows. Something different.)
1. And Each of Us Is A Player

**And here's a new story. It's a Lost Girl/Scandal Crossover. I'm trying to balance the elements of both show but I think the longer it goes the less Scandal-y it will become but hopefully not because I love me some Olivia Pope. Anyways...I hope we like this one.**

****Disclaimer: ****I do not own the LG characters they belong to the wonderful people of Lost Girl, Showcase, Prodigy, et al. And all Scandal characters be long to the Goddess Shonda Rhimes, Shondaland, and ABC along with any passing mention of Grey's Anatomy characters (I couldn't pass it up)********

* * *

><p><em>"Dr. Lewis' campaign, which some deem to be a Cinderella-like story, is gaining steam in the early months of her bid to win the White House. The doctor is youngest presidential hopeful on the campaign trail but her stance on environmental issues, health care reform, and numerous other social and political issues have been resonating with constituents. When her opponents have failed to provide the people with answers Dr. Lewis has delivered impassioned speech after impassioned speech which has resulted in her garnering the trust of those who have the power to make sure that she is elected. In the upcoming eighteen months it will be intriguing to say the least how the doctor will do against veteran senators and one former governor."<em>

Lauren turned off the TV and tossed the remote onto the hotel bed. She normally didn't watch the talking heads on the networks but her campaign manager had insisted that she did so especially since last night's speech to the factory workers in a small town in Nebraska had fallen short. The only reason why it wasn't a complete disaster was due to the fact that Lauren's stance on job creation resonated widely throughout the large crowd that had assembled to hear her speak. Lauren sighed as she sat down on the edge of bed then ran her hands through her hair before placing her elbows on her knees. Her hands remained buried in her hair as she, for the millionth time, tried to figure out what she was doing running for president. She should have started with something small like governor or senator but the current political climate had forced her hand and now she was running for president. The grassroots campaign had been so small in the beginning that Lauren believed that no one was going to take her seriously and that her, and her small team, probably wouldn't make the byline of a national newspaper. But the former manager of her presidential campaign had convinced her to release a series of videos online where she discussed the major problems of the country and how she planned to face them. The response to the videos was instantaneous and everything that followed after appeared to happen overnight. Donations came flooding in. Big companies who believed in her causes started to fund her campaign and she was being invited to speak across the country. Now here she was two years later and eighteen months away from Election Day with her campaign building more support as each day passed.

Lauren ran into the bathroom and headed for the toilet. After lifting the lid she vomited then she sat back on her haunches before falling back against the tub. Public speaking made her nervous and lately that's all she had been doing. So she vomited before every speaking engagement. Lauren pressed the heels of her palms to her eyes and tried to centre herself. She needed a day off from campaigning. She wanted to be back in the operating room saving lives. She wanted be at home with her wife and talking about redecorating some room in their house even though they would never do it. She just wanted to experience a moment of normalcy. Lauren let out a deep sigh. She wanted to be anywhere that wasn't the middle of nowhere South Dakota and she didn't want to be almost two hours away from giving a speech to a gymnasium filled with fire fighters, teachers, police men, and other blue collar workers. Lauren's phone began to ring and she stumbled off of the bathroom floor then jogged over to the nightstand that it was lying on. She answered it without looking at display, "Hey."

"Uh-oh. I don't like that tone." Lauren smiled and sat down on the bed. This was the voice that she needed to hear before walking the gauntlet. This voice centred her and made her feel at ease. "Did you puke already? We don't need a repeat of Little Rock."

Lauren grinned and answered her wife, "Yes I did. Although I was just about to brush my teeth when you called."

Rachel chuckled in her ear, "You should go do that. I'll wait."

Lauren laid down on the bed and told her, "I'll do it after I talk to you. How was your day?"

Rachel sighed then said, "As uneventful as it can be being the wife of a presidential hopeful."

Lauren frowned and asked, "Has the press been out of control? Are you okay?"

"Calm down sweetie. It's nothing." Then she explained, "They ask me what I think about your townhall meetings and speeches and I don't say thing." Rachel chuckled, "Secret Service has been good about making sure that I'm well protected and that I have my privacy. I'm good honey." Rachel's reassurance didn't ease any of Lauren's worry.

Rachel wasn't cut out to be the wife of a politician but she supported Lauren's ambitious desire to capture the White House. Before Lauren had filed any of the official paperwork the two of them had talked about her run for president and how it could possibly affect them and for the most part Rachel had encouraged her to go for it but she had explicitly told Lauren that she wouldn't be travelling around the country with her and that she needed a normal life. And because of that Rachel was at home in Seattle being the brilliant neurosurgeon that she was while Lauren did a tour of the Midewest. Though Lauren missed her wife terribly. She sighed and said, "How are things at the hospital? Have they found anyone to fill my position yet?"

Rachel laughed in her ear then told her, "You know the board is trying to hold off on filling your position. They want to see if you win the election so that way if you lose, which you won't, they can woo you back then say that they have a former presidential candidate as the chief of their cardiothoracic department."

Lauren laughed then told her, "I'm going to want my own wing if they're looking to woo me back." She let out a soft chuckle and remarked, "Although from what I the board might do anything to get me back. I still talk to one of the nurses on my floor, Tyler, and the doctor they put in to replace me, Yang, is a little too hardcore and the residents are having a hard time working with her."

Rachel chuckled then commented, "It's true but she does have some big shoes to fill Lauren. I mean you are a tough act to follow."

Lauren rested her eyes for a second as a happy feeling came over her while she talked to her wife. These types of moments were becoming less frequent because of her ever growing schedule so she tried to enjoy them to the fullest. Lauren took a deep breath then exhaled, "Well I'm certain everyone will be fine once she is settled into the position." Then she smirked, "And who knows, she might become so good at the job that they won't even ask for me back."

"Or they might make you co-heads of the department." Rachel countered before adding, "And I hear Yang doesn't share well." She chuckled which was followed by a brief pause. When she spoke again Lauren could hear the apprehension in her voice when she quipped, "Maybe instead of going back to work we could talk about that other thing we've been thinking about." Lauren let out a heavy sigh. Not this topic again. She knew Rachel was only mentioning it as a passing suggestion but they had agreed to talk about it more once the election was over. When Lauren still hadn't said anything Rachel scoffed, "Geez Lauren I was only joking."

"I know you were." Lauren responded. The irritation was evident in her voice and right away she knew she had to apologise, "I'm sorry Rach. I just want to be home with you and I need a break."

"Tell Cara that you need a break. I'm certain she can work something around so you can come home for the weekend or something." Rachel told her even though they both knew that wasn't possible. Lauren's Midwest tour was to continue for another two weeks and it was filled with speaking engagements, public appearances, and TV segments.

Lauren sighed then smiled, "I'm going to figure something out because I need some semblance of normalcy in my life." There was a knock on her room door and she called out, "Come in."

The door opened and in walked her raven haired campaign manager who's vibrant green eyes held a modicum of warmth in them so they matched the small smile that was on her face, "Hey boss I wanted to run through some key points with you."

Lauren heard Rachel scoff in her ear. Even though she was cordial to Cara when they interacted Rachel had never liked the woman. When Lauren had introduced her wife to her new campaign manager Rachel had told her afterwards that she didn't like Cara. And despite her misplaced lack of trust, Lauren thought Rachel was handling her dislike of Cara quite well. This was one of many traits that made Lauren believe that her wife would make an excellent first lady. "Can you give me a moment Cara? I'm on the phone with Rach."

"Sure thing. Tell her I said hi." Cara said right before she walked out of the room.

Rachel laughed, "I'm sure she says hi."

Lauren rolled her eyes and told her, "Easy now Rach." Then she asked, "Are you ever going to tell me the reason why you have a problem with Cara? She's trying to get me into the White House and so far she's done an amazing job at it. Do you not want me to get elected?"

Lauren heard the annoyance in her Rachel's voice when she replied, "Are you serious Lauren? You already know my issue with her."She scoffed, "And you know I wouldn't stop you from trying to achieve something you're so passionate about."

Lauren was aware of Rachel's problem with Cara but she believed her wife was being paranoid about the dark haired woman. Lauren smiled, "Babe you've got nothing to worry about. Cara is married with two kids." She sighed then said, "She's the only one the campaign who knows what it's like to miss someone who's back home. It's given us a sense of camaraderie."

"I get that Lauren. But I've seen the way that she looks at you sometimes and I feel like she wants to take it beyond this professional relationship that you have with her." Rachel countered not letting go of the topic.

Lauren was done with the conversation. It was one that they had had many times before and it was becoming exhausting but she wanted to make sure that Rachel understood Cara's place in her life. "Rachel this is the last time that we have this discussion because Cara is staying. She has a good track record in getting people elected and her tenacity is something to be rivalled."Frustrated that they were discussing this again Lauren ran her hand through her hair, "You just have to trust me sweetie. And the fact that you're questioning this at all makes me think that you don't."

Rachel let out an incredulous sigh, "You know I trust you Lauren. It's just-"

"It's just nothing Rachel." She paused for a second then said, "You have to trust me enough to take care of any situation that your mind has come up with. I love you and you're the only one I want to be with. Okay?"

The line was quiet a moment then Rachel acquiesced, "Okay. It looks like I don't have much a say in the matter anyway." Lauren bit her tongue so the argument could end but Rachel continued, "You've made your decisions and I will live with them but do know I will cash in on all this patience that I'm showing after the election."

Lauren shook her head and the frustration was barely concealed in her voice as she said, "You've got to be kidding me."She took a deep breath to calm herself, "I have to go Rachel." She hung up the phone and tossed it on the bed then let out an aggravated noise. Rachel wanted kids. And Lauren was more than ready for kids but when they decided that she would run for president they also decided that having kids during this time wasn't a wise choice and that it wouldn't be a good idea for the first two years of Lauren's presidency if she was elected. Lauren didn't want Rachel raising a baby by herself. She sighed then got off the bed deciding that she needed to do some work to get her mind off of Rachel and their almost argument. She walked out of the bedroom and into the living room of the hotel suite which was a bustling hive of activity. Some members of her team were on the phone while others were talking about fundraising and the woman orchestrating it all was sitting on the couch with her laptop. Lauren walked over to the couch and sat next to Cara. The woman continued to look at her computer as she stated, "That took longer than normal. Usually when you're on the phone with her and I tell that there are things we need to go over you get her off the phone right away."

Lauren rolled her eyes and shot back with, "My wife takes priority."

"No. The campaign takes priority Lauren." Sharp green eyes looked at her, "Do you not realise how much money is pouring so you can elected? Grandmas in Michigan are sending you their pension checks because they believe in you. So I need you to be about this campaign."

"I am about this campaign Cara."

Cara let out a soft snort, "No you're not. I can see the fear in your eyes every time I show you the numbers." The woman lowered her voice, "I know you want to back out of this, but it's too late. We've filed. You've raised money. Too many man hours have already been put in to make you, Doctor Lauren Lewis: The Doctor of The People, President of The United States. So your only priority is this fucking campaign and the sooner you realise this then the easier my job will be."

Lauren stared the woman down. Cara could be intense, brash, and unforgiving at times but it's what Lauren's campaign needed to make it through the next six months and primaries. "Are you telling me that my wife comes second to this?"

"If your wife was smart she would have realised that this is also her priority." Cara countered before getting a contemptuous smile on her face, "But Rachel obviously has something to prove in all this and I will continue to allow her to do whatever but once primaries come around that changes." She gave Lauren a piercing look, "Then she will be doing whatever is needed so that you look like the best candidate for the job while winning the hearts of the American people." Cara looked back at her computer screen and answered Lauren's question, "And yes she does. If she doesn't want to come second then her ass should be here."

"She's a surgeon and I'm not going to force her to travel the country with me just because of some political game." Lauren argued.

"Then you shouldn't have gotten into politics doctor." Cara responded before she changed the topic, "Your speech falls short and you're missing your core audience for this appearance which is the middle-aged white male who's attached to his religion."

Lauren continued to stare at her campaign manager. She couldn't stand the woman at times and whenever she was on the edge of firing Cara, Lauren had to remember that she had come highly recommended by her former campaign manager. Lauren was reluctant to agree, but Cara had been right. She needed to get serious about the race and she needed to talk to Rachel about her role as her wife during the campaign. It was a conversation that was going to be long and intense but it needed to be done especially with primaries right around the corner. "I want to go home tomorrow."

Cara was typing something and she let out a quick laugh, "You're funny. I've have three appearances planned in Wyoming for you tomorrow then a fundraiser dinner in Idaho. Then you're doing a public appearance at a hospital in Montana on Sunday. You can probably go home the week after next."

"I'm going home tomorrow. Reschedule everything. Tell them I came down with the flu. Hell I'll do a press release if necessary but I'm not doing any of it and I'm going home." Lauren told her campaign manager then she further added. "I'm burned out and I need to see Rachel."

Lauren let her head rest against the back of the couch and she focused on the ceiling of the room while Cara sat quietly beside her. She knew Cara was coming up with new ways to kill her but after a moment had passed Cara said in a clipped tone, "Go. And when you come back we're hitting the locations you're blowing off then we're doing a tour of the East Coast."

Lauren looked at Cara with a surprised expression on her face. She was amazed that the woman had conceded so quickly but she was grateful for it. Lauren grinned, "See Cara I knew you would see things my way."

Cara scoffed as she pulled out her phone, "I'm setting up an interview with the _Wake Up, Seattle! _for Sunday. I'll e-mail you the lines that we're sticking with and you can spruce them up to fit the occasion." She looked at Lauren, "Rachel is to be on air with you." Lauren opened her mouth to say something but Cara held up her hand, "No Lauren she needs to get used to being in the limelight and I need to know if she needs to be coached or not." She further explained, "We talk about your wife. We talk about how you two have a solid foundation as a couple and how you draw strength from her but people need to see that pillar of strength. Let her know that she'll be going to the dinner in Idaho and I want her on the East Coast tour." Lauren wanted to argue everything thing Cara had just said but the woman was already on her phone with Secret Service, "Hello Keith. Dr. Lewis will be heading home to Seattle tonight and travel arrangements need to be made."

Lauren got up and headed for the bedroom. She had gotten what she had wanted but she had also inadvertently thrown Rachel into Cara's crosshairs. This meant that she, at some point, was going to have to bear witness to a Rachel and Cara show down that wouldn't end well. As she began to pack Lauren concluded that the two women could agree on one thing and that was seeing her elected president.

_Saturday Afternoon..._

The town car pulled up to the house and Lauren was excited to be home even though she knew one hell of an argument was about to happen. She waited until the Secret Service agent opened the door for her then she got out. She and Rachel lived in a relatively remote location of Seattle but the homes were beautiful and she couldn't imagine living anywhere else. She walked up the long pathway that led to the front door. Rachel wasn't home yet but Lauren knew that she would be there shortly. Lauren and the two Secret Service agents that were escorting her went inside. Rob, the lead agent, stopped her from going further, "Just a moment Lauren. We have to do a sweep of the inside of the house."

Lauren nodded. It had taken her a few weeks to get used to the ever present agents but now, two months later, she had finally gotten used to them and thought of them as an important part of the team. She waved her hand at the man and told him, "Go ahead Rob. All you'll find is a messy ass house because Rachel doesn't clean. You guys want something to drink?"

Sean, the tall dark skinned agent, pulled off his sunglasses as he followed her to the kitchen, "I'll have a glass of water. Where's Rachel?"

Lauren saw the pile of dishes in the sink and she shook her head as she went into the cabinet to get a glass. She opened the refrigerator then pulled out the pitcher of water and poured Sean some water. "She's at the hospital." Lauren handed the man the glass, "She e-mailed me a day ago and told me that she was getting in a VIP patient so she scheduled them on her light day."

He nodded and Lauren started to clean the dishes in the sink while he did a walkthrough of the first floor. About a half an hour later she was cleaning off the counters in the kitchen when Rob walked in saying, "I got the all clear from Sean on the outside. But he's calling your home a nice tactical nightmare because of the dense woods you have surrounding it along with the massive backyard."

Lauren gave him a cheeky smile, "Well if anyone is trying to kill off this presidential hopeful then they will have to run through the massive backyard." She held up a finger and added, "Also Rachel's detail seems to have managed quite well."

Rob rolled his eyes in mock irritation, "Yeah well your wife is usually at the hospital when you're not home so it's easier for them. Do you want to talk about rotations and tomorrow morning?"

Lauren went over to the kitchen sink then opened the cabinet underneath it and put away the cleaning spray as she said, "No I do not. I want to take a shower then grab a glass of wine then possibly cook a meal that will not be brought to me in a Styrofoam container."

Rob chuckled and shook his, "Okay."

Lauren headed upstairs to her and Rachel's room and when she walked into the room the first thing she noticed was that it was messy but not as messy as it could have been. The bed was unmade which wasn't unusual but there were random piles of clothes on the floor; a laundry basket full of clean clothes was sitting on the wooden bench at the end of their bed; and there were medical journals strewn all over the floor on Rachel's side of the bed. Lauren had wanted to hire a maid before she headed out on her campaign tour but Rachel had told her no and that she didn't trust a stranger to clean their home the way they liked it. But seeing the current state that the room was in made Lauren change her mind on that and she was going to hire one as soon as possible because this was ridiculous. She walked into their adjoining bathroom and it was clean so that was one thing she could give Rachel. Lauren started the shower then stripped out of the clothes that she was wearing. She was dressed as if she had gone to a public event even though she had spent most of the day travelling. But that was one of the downfalls of being in the scrutinising eye of the public. She always had to be on. To show that she could remain poised, polite, and always ready for any interactions with the press or the public. Luckily for her the flight home was chartered and the hangar was in a remote area that was wooded.

Lauren got into the shower and the hot water sprayed on her then she turned around so the powerful spray could hit her tense neck and shoulder blades. Even though she would be on a flight to Wyoming in less than twenty-four hours this was exactly what she needed. Being back in her familiar environment was relaxing enough. The only thing that would make it better would be a glass of red wine and her beautiful wife joining her in the shower. Lauren let the water rain down on her a moment longer then she turned around so she could wash up. Lauren was going through the motions of washing her hair when she heard the glass door of the shower slide open. She grinned as the faint smell of cherry blossoms filled her nostrils and it turned into a full blown smile when she felt a kiss being placed on her shoulder. The kiss was followed by a gentle bite to her shoulder then Rachel murmured, "Why didn't you tell me you were coming home?"

Lauren rinsed the shampoo out of her hair and off of her face then turned around to look into mirthful blue eyes that were looking at her. She leaned in and kissed Rachel. It was a soft kiss at first but the moment their lips met she didn't want to stop kissing her. Rachel pulled Lauren closer to her as she wrapped her arm around her waist which caused the kiss deepen. The woman moved them to where Lauren was pinned against the side wall of the shower. She kissed down the length of Lauren's neck and whispered, "God I you have no idea how bad I've wanted to have you here with me. Touching you..." Lauren felt her wife's hand slide up the wet skin of her side to the underside of breast then she used her index finger and thumb to tweak her hardening nipple causing Lauren to let out a soft moan. "Kissing you..."Rachel's lips found hers again and the two of them let the stress of life and the campaign fade away and it was replaced with their passion and love for each other. Lauren was happy that they were able to have this one moment of getting lost in each other because she knew that once they started talking about things that went beyond asking how their day was their reunion bubble would pop and they would be at odds with each other. So as Rachel's fingers glided into her, Lauren let her head fall back against the wall of shower and surrendered herself over to the woman that she loved.

Lauren took a long drink from her wineglass. Things were tense between her and Rachel. After they had sex in the shower and washed they made love for another hour before Lauren decided that the two of them needed to eat something and that they couldn't have sex the entire time that she was home. And when they had sat down to eat things were light hearted and they were happy but then Lauren brought up the housekeeper thing. Rachel had turned down the suggestion which lead to Lauren being persistent on the topic then Rachel eventually stopped talking. Lauren carefully placed her wineglass down and said, "If you don't want someone to give you a hand with maintaining the house that's fine."

Rachel looked at her and the woman's blue eye's held a sceptical look in them as she wondered, "Are you really going to let this go just like that?"

Lauren let out defeated sigh then told her, "I've been learning diplomacy Rach and this is my showing you a little." She took another drink from her wine glass then said, "Plus this is one of those pick your battle situations and this is me deciding that this is not worth fighting over. If you're happy I'm happy."

Rachel bit her bottom lip then she shook her head and chuckled, "So if this isn't worth fighting about Lauren then what is?" She picked up the bottle of wine then poured some in her glass, "Also this isn't you being diplomatic. This is you placating me."

Lauren laughed then pointed out, "I've been placating you for a while honey and trust me...this is diplomacy."

Rachel raised a blonde eyebrow at her and said, "Placating me? How the hell have you been placating me? If anything I have been placating you." Rachel got up and scoffed, "You wanted to be the head of cardio so I was the supportive wife and moved across the country for you and away from a hospital where I was basically guaranteed to become chief of surgery."

"I told you we could have stayed Rachel. I never asked you to move for me. I was happy with staying in Baltimore." Lauren argued. Before they had moved to Seattle and when she was weighing her options Lauren had known that being the head of cardiology wasn't going to happen if she remained at Johns Hopkins but she had been doing research at the facility that would make a difference and that was all that mattered to her. It was the council of one of her superiors that gave her the push to finalise the Seattle position and Rachel supported the decision without complaint.

Rachel rolled her eyes and shot back, "That's bull shit Lauren. You would have blamed me for holding back your career."

Lauren gave the other blonde an incredulous look, "Rachel are you serious?" She immediately stood up and walked over to her wife. She gently placed her hand on her face and told her in a low voice, "I would never blame you for you for something of that nature. I love you and if you had said that you wanted to stay in Maryland then we would have stayed." Lauren saw the fight leave Rachel's eyes and she sighed, "I married you because I love you Rachel and marriage means a lot of compromise and that was one compromise I would have been willing to do for you had you told me."

Rachel took a deep breath then said, "I didn't mean to bring that up and I don't resent you for anything. I'm just frustrated." She looked into Lauren's eyes and admitted, "Having you gone all this time….it's made me think about some things and I know we've made this decision together, but I sometimes I think I should have told you no when you asked me if I was okay with you running for president. I miss our life. No Secret Service agents. No tours. Just us and our mundane lives."

Lauren gave her wife a small smile then said, "Our lives were far from mundane and if you want something that resembles normalcy then maybe you can take a leave of absence and join me on the tour."

Rachel chuckled and commented, "Joining you and your team of twenty-four on two tour buses is not my idea of mundane or normalcy. Also I have several surgeries that I'm going to lineup." Rachel grinned and told her, "A beautiful tumour was presented to me today and I find it challenging."

Rachel had a dreamy look on her face and Lauren let out a soft laugh, "Come back to Earth." Rachel smiled at her and Lauren took a deep breath before revealing, "You will be joining me on the campaign trail for a dinner in Idaho then Cara would like it if you joined me on the East Coast tour that we'll be doing."

Rachel laughed then moved away from her saying, "No I'm not. I have surgeries. I have a life and my life does not include being on the campaign tour with you."

"Rachel you need to do this. My supporters need to know that my wife isn't an imaginary being. That you actually do exist." Lauren scoffed then wondered, "What was your plan going to be if I do get elected? Hide out in the White House for four years until this blows over? And what if I wanted to run for a re-election?"

Rachel stood there and asked, "I was going to play the role of the first lady and do my job, but that's only if you were elected. Until then I am still me. I still have my life."

Lauren rolled her eyes and remarked, "That's fine but I need you to do me this favour. Then once it is all said and done then you can come back to Seattle and live your life."

Rachel began to clean up their dinner dishes which wasn't a good sign because she only cleaned when she was pissed. This was the argument that Lauren had been waiting for. She only hoped that she would be able to handle it well. Rachel walked into the kitchen and Lauren followed after her. She watched as Rachel put the dishes in the sink and the plates clattered so loud that she briefly wondered if they were broken. "It starts out as one favour. Then another. Then another." She turned around and pinned Lauren with a look that she had never seen before, "When do I get my favour Lauren? A year after the elections? Two years? Or do I have to wait until your term is over which by then I shouldn't even bother because it is too late."

Lauren kept her face neutral as she pointed out, "Those are two different things Rachel and you know it. And you know that us having children isn't even possible until maybe two years after I'm elected. Unless you want to raise a child by yourself."

Rachel scoffed and argued, "I do not want to raise a child by myself Lauren, but if that is the drawback to us having kids then so be it."

Lauren shook her head and said, "I'm not going to argue with you about something that we cannot be certain about until after the elections. And once we know if I'm elected then we can go from there."

Rachel was putting away their leftovers and she put down the pan that she was holding, "If you aren't elected and we're still having the same discussion afterwards then I'm going to divorce you."

Lauren stood their stunned and she wanted to come up with something but nothing came to mind. She and Rachel had been together for almost seven years and to have all that history threatened by something that could make or break them was unsettling. Unfortunately for Lauren the conversation was interrupted. Her cell phone began to ring which made Rachel comment, "Tell your new wife I said hello."

"Stop being childish Rachel." Then she answered her phone. "Hi Cara."

Cara chuckled then said, "Don't let her piss you off Lauren. I need you to look at that e-mail before you go on the morning show."

Lauren combed her fingers through her hair then said, "I will do it later. I need to go Rachel and I are talking."

"Oh I'm certain you are. Did you tell her what needs to be done?"

Lauren bit the corner of her lip then said, "I did."

Cara scoffed then said, "Let me guess she's being stubborn and is playing the 'me' card?" Lauren didn't say anything. "Give her the phone."

Lauren let out a short laugh, "Like I'm going to let you talk to my wife especially when I know you two have issues."

Rachel gave her a pointed look and said, "I have no issues with her."

Lauren gave her a look of disbelief and Cara told her, "Get your wife on board or you can say goodbye to the presidency."

The line disconnected and Lauren put down her phone. She was in a precarious situation that currently had her pitting her ambitious aspirations against the woman that she loved. And she truly loved Rachel but it was in that moment that she realised that she was in this race for good and she wanted to be president. Lauren looked at Rachel and declared, "I'm running for president and I want to be President Rachel. I want to do this with you by my side but if you're not willing to play the part that is necessary for that to happen then maybe a divorce is the right course of action for us because you will be nothing but a hindrance to my campaign." She glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost eight then looked back at Rachel, "You have plenty of time to decide how you want this to play out but the way it is currently going isn't going to work. I have primaries in less than six months and I will be on the road non-stop. If that's something you can't do then let me know. That way I can let Cara know and she can put whatever spin on this so that it doesn't cause any damage to the campaign."

Lauren picked up her phone and walked out of the kitchen. She had thrown down the proverbial gauntlet and now it was up to Rachel to decide if she wanted to be a part of this or not.

Lauren arrived home a little bit before twelve that afternoon. The interview on _Wake Up! Seattle _had gone well and she had been able to discuss the key points that would be her main focus if she were elected. They had brought up her blunder from a few nights ago but she was able to make light of the situation and was able to explain her mistake before clarifying what she had really meant. Rachel hadn't gone to the interview with her and that morning when Lauren had woken up Rachel's side of the bed was empty. She had figured that she had gone to the hospital or somewhere that allowed her to be far away from Lauren. They hadn't gone to bed together and they didn't speak to each other for the rest of the night. This was the rockiest that their marriage had ever been. As she walked into the house right away Lauren knew something wasn't right. The two Secret Service agents walked in with her and proceeded to do a check of the house. And as Rob headed up the stairs Lauren asked, "Rob can you call Marcus and see where Rachel is?"

He gave her a nod and said, "Certainly Lauren."

She walked into the kitchen to get herself a glass of water and to check her e-mail. Lauren had just sat down on the barstool when she heard Rob yelling, "Code red! Code Red! Moving Mustang to a secure location requesting all back up units at rendezvous point Delta."

Sean ran into the kitchen and took hold of Lauren's arm which made her ask, "Sean what's going on?"

"I will tell you as soon as you are in a secure location." He told her as they made a hasty exit from the house. She was put in the backseat of a Suburban that was idling in her driveway and once the door was closed the vehicle took off.

Lauren demanded, "What the hell is going on and where are you taking me?" When she received no answer Lauren took out her phone and tried making a phone call but she had no service which meant the agents had done something to prevent her from getting service. Lauren let out a frustrated breath and asked again, "What is going on and why isn't anyone telling me anything?"

The female agent in the front seat looked at her and said, "Ma'am we will tell you everything once we are at the safe house."

Lauren conceded to the fact that they weren't going to tell her anything but she did have one more question. "Where's Rachel and is she safe?" The woman only looked at her for a moment before turning around. The sense of dread that Lauren had felt when she walked into the house was getting worse and she asked again, this time she didn't hold back on her anger, "Someone tell me where the fuck my wife is."

Neither of the agents in the front seat answered her and Lauren's worry only grew worse. She didn't ask any more questions because she knew she wouldn't get a response but the pit in her stomach only worsened. An hour and a half later they arrived at a small one-story house and there were several other suburbans in the driveway. Lauren's hopes rose as she thought about Rachel being inside. When one of the agents opened the door for her she was escorted promptly inside the house which was a bustling hive of activity. Sean was already there and barking out orders to the other agents and demanding information. Lauren walked over to him and asked, "Sean what the fuck is going on?"

Sean lowered the phone from his ear and told her, "I'm not clear yet Lauren but there is a threat in the area."

As the anxiety tried to take over her she swallowed then asked, "Where's Rachel?" The man's eyes softened and Lauren recognised the look instantly. She had spent a number of years as a doctor and had come to develop a look that would tell a patient's family that she had done her very best but at the same time it wasn't enough. She had delivered that type of news a number of times in her career and knew the helplessness that came with it and knowing that she wasn't able to save a person's life. In this case Sean looked as though he dreaded telling her the news but at the same time he knew that they had come too far together for him not to tell her. Lauren clenched her jaw then whispered, "Say it Sean."

He sighed and as he opened his mouth Lauren began to respond even though he hadn't said anything yet. The words knocked the breath out of her and she was having trouble breathing but they continued to repeat in her mind, _"She's dead Lauren."_ She had heard nothing else and she couldn't think about anything else. Lauren didn't remember dropping to her knees. She didn't remember crying. She didn't remember anything at all. All she felt was numb, empty, and broken. A piece of her had been ripped away and all that was left was a void that was going to consume her.

* * *

><p><strong>What'd we think? Should it keep going or should I go and do something more productive like a sequel or something? Lol. Review please and thank you for reading.<strong>


	2. We Have Our Exits and Entrances

****Disclaimer: ****I do not own the LG characters they belong to the wonderful people of Lost Girl, Showcase, Prodigy, et al. And all Scandal characters be long to the Goddess Shonda Rhimes, Shondaland, and ABC along with any passing mention of Grey's Anatomy characters (I couldn't pass it up)********

* * *

><p>The elevator doors glided open after the lift came to a stop and Olivia stepped off it with Harrison and Quinn flanking her. As they walked down the quite corridor she saw the two Secret Service agents standing in front of the double doors that led to the morgue. As they approached the dark haired agent declared, "Only authorised hospital personnel ma'am."<p>

Olivia smirked at the man then asked, "What's your name?"

"Jeff." The man replied.

"Jeff," Olivia repeated before stating, "I was called down here by someone in that room so if you could go get that someone that would be great." Then she added with a condescending smile, "And if you want to question me further about it then I will be having a nice long discussion with secretary of Homeland Security about how one of his agents treated me while I was on official business."

The agent stood there looking not at Olivia but past her then he swallowed before replying, "A moment ma'am."

He went through the double doors and Olivia waited patiently giving the remaining Secret Service agent a polite smile. Quinn leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Do you really know the head of the Justice department?"

The smile remained on Olivia's face as she looked at the younger woman. The double doors opened and out walked a woman that Olivia hadn't seen in almost two years. "Cara Prescott. I haven't seen you sent you turned me down for a position at Pope and Associates."

After they gave each other a quick hug Cara had a small smirk on her face, "I see you're still feeling hurt by that huh?"

"Well when a promising media relations person, such as yourself, turns me down for a job I take it a bit personal." Olivia countered as they let go of each other.

The two women walked through the double doors and Olivia signalled for Harrison and Quinn to stay out in the hall while she went with Cara. As they walked down the centre of the long room Cara told her, "Well I had bigger dreams that didn't involve me being a wheeler and dealer in DC politics."

"And yet here you are wheeling and dealing in DC politics. In fact you're trying to get the woman running against the current president elected." Olivia pointed out knowing that she had to be on her toes around Cara. Cara was a quick thinker, and Olivia could give her that, but she wasn't as sharp as Olivia was.

Cara laughed as they reached a row of refrigerated lockers, "And I see you're not giving me a run for my money by trying to get Grant re-elected." She looked back at Olivia, "I thought you would be considering I heard you played a big part in getting him elected four years ago."

Olivia gave the woman a tight smile, "I'm focused on other things at the moment." Then she gave her a genuine smirk, "But I think they'll still give you a run for your money."Cara laughed as they made their way down the lockers. Olivia was glad that Cara had left it at that. That last thing that she needed on her mind was the Grant administration. She was currently avoiding the members of that administration, the White House staff, and more importantly, Fitzgerald Grant. She and Fitz recently had a discussion about their relationship and he had spent most of the discussion trying to get her to see things his way. Which was them finally getting the chance to be together if he isn't re-elected. Olivia hadn't bothered to point out the fact that he was still married and had a family was also another factor. Instead she argued that he had more work to do as president and that he could accomplish so much good for the country. Fitz had asked for her to be his campaign manager again but she couldn't do it. Things were too complicated now. Things had been complicated four years ago but now they were a new type of complicated. Cara stopped walking and reached for the handle on one of the lockers causing Olivia to ask, "Cara why am I here?"

Cara gave her a grin, "Because you're about to see the reason why my candidate is about to take the lead over everyone else." Olivia watched as the dark haired woman pulled out the steel slab that had a covered body on it. Cara pulled back the thin drape to reveal a dead blonde then she said, "Olivia meet Rachel Lewis. The wife of presidential candidate Lauren Lewis."

Olivia did her best not to look visibly stunned by the dead body. This only added more to the confusion as to why she was here. Olivia glanced down at the cold, dead body on the steel slab then up at Cara, "This explains the media circus in front of the hospital but what does this have to do with why I am here Cara?"

The woman covered up the body then pushed the steel slab back into the compartment, "Dr. Lewis was found murdered in the couple's home this afternoon after Lauren had returned home from her appearance on _Wake Up, Seattle_. She was found by the lead agent on duty." Cara closed the compartment then looked at Olivia, "The coroner says she was murdered between the hours of eleven p.m. and six a.m."

Olivia mentally put the puzzle together. Lauren was a suspect for her wife's murder. "You want me to take Lauren on as a client."

Cara gave a slight shake of her head, "No not as a client." Cara took a deep breath then began to walk away from Olivia, her expensive heels clicking against the tile floor. She then turned around, "I need a favour."

"A favour?" Olivia repeated sceptical as to what this favour could be considering she and Cara hadn't talked in so long.

Cara nodded then chuckled as she ran her hand through her hair, "I have found myself in a very dangerous position and I don't think I can continue on the path that I am currently on." Olivia began to worry about where this conversation was headed. The other woman gave her a small smile, "I've been working with Lauren for a year and a half now and she shows a passion that none of the other candidates show." Olivia knew exactly where this was headed. She herself had been in same the position four years ago. "It's her passion that is drawing people to her. It's like when she speaks you're listening to a great orator from ancient Greece and not only does she reach you on a moral and ethical level but she also reaches your soul." Rachel locked eyes with Olivia, "And it's the very thing that made me fall for her." She sighed, "And of course Rachel knew. She didn't notice right away but she didn't trust me around her wife. With good reason I suppose." Cara began to pace, "She was able to see through the hard ass façade that I put on for Lauren and had known that I had fallen in love with her amazing wife." Cara got a sad smile on her face, "Stupid right?"

As another piece of the puzzle fell into place things became a lot clearer for Olivia. Simple adultery wasn't a deal breaker like it used to be in politics. Everything ranging from neglectful wife to loneliness on the road could be blamed for the reason why a candidate would cheat on their spouse. But a murdered wife with a campaign manager who had feelings for the candidate that she was trying to get elected made things less black and white and more grey. Olivia looked around the quite room then looked back at Cara then asked in a hushed voice, "Did you kill Lauren's wife?"

Cara started to laugh and it wasn't a maniacal laugh so Olivia didn't think that she was crazy but she still didn't think the murder of an innocent woman was a laughing matter. Cara took a deep breath then told her, "I didn't kill her. I was in Wyoming preparing for the fundraiser dinner that was to be held tonight." She gave Olivia a pointed look, "I have twelve campaign staffers that can tell you that."

The next question Olivia was hesitant to ask because she wasn't certain if Cara would tell her the truth. Olivia bit her lip then asked, "Are you sleeping with her?"

Cara scoffed and told her, "No Olivia."

"Are you lying to me?"

Cara rolled her eyes and replied, "Do you think I would throw away my fifteen year marriage on some romp with a woman who is-well was completely devoted to her wife? You're ridiculous."

"No. I am not being ridiculous Cara." Olivia shot back. Then she pointed out in a matter of fact tone, "I have been in the world of DC politics for a long time to know that things happen. No matter how devoted or how much someone loves the person their married to things happen and exceptions are made." She took a deep breath then demanded, "So I'm asking you again Cara. Have you slept with Lauren Lewis?"

Cara looked Olivia in her eyes as she stated, "No I have not slept with her."

Olivia gave the dark haired woman an astute nod. If she was here to help Cara then this would be easy especially if there were twelve campaign staff members who could corroborate her story. Olivia then sighed, "So what am I doing here Cara and what is this favour? You don't need my help."

"I'm removing myself as Lauren's campaign manager and I want you to take over." Cara said finally revealing the real reason why she had called Olivia. Olivia was taken aback. She had planned not to get involved in this election cycle. After everything that had happened with Fitz and everything that was happening with them now she was glad to not be involved because if she had gotten involved with another candidate then Fitz would have taken it personally. Cara must have taken Olivia's silence as apprehension because she began to explain why she was stepping back as Lauren's campaign manager, "I can't be there while she's going through this Liv. Seeing Lauren broken and vulnerable might be the thing that makes me blur the professional line." Cara took in a unsteady breath, "And the need to comfort her, hold her, and take care of her would get in the way of the job that needs to be done." She looked at Olivia, "So I need you to help her Olivia. I need you to make sure that she wins the presidency. Do this as a favour to me."

Cara was begging for her to help the woman who was gunning to take Fitz's seat in the White House. Olivia looked away from Cara as she began to pace and weigh the pros and cons of the offer. If she did accept the job she would be the person responsible for getting the first gay woman elected president and the doctor's platform was already stellar, but now that she was a widow she would gain more interest. On the other hand there were the cons. The first con to come to mind was Fitz. He would see her taking the job as a betrayal and their precarious relationship would implode on itself. Then she would also suffer backlash from the White House if Lauren didn't win the election. There was no way she would be able to make a clear decision without meeting the doctor. She looked at Cara, "Where is she?"

They began to walk to the exit and Cara told her, "A safe house."

Olivia nodded, "I want to meet her first then I will let you know Cara but I can't have you step down completely. Doing so would make you seem guilty." Cara nodded in agreement then Olivia told her, "Okay. So let's go. And when I meet her I want to meet with her alone." Cara was reluctant to agree but then she did.

They left the morgue and when they were walking out of the hospital the mob of reporters that were being held back by local police began to bombard the small group with questions. Olivia heard numerous questions being yelled out, but one in particular caught her attention. It was male voice that shouted out, "Mrs. Prescott is it true that Dr. Lewis is being blamed for the murder of her wife?"

The press knowing details about the investigation and Lauren being a suspect raised Olivia's suspicions because the case was being handled by the FBI. Further questions were shouted as the small group made their way to the waiting cars. There were many questions about what Olivia's role would be for the campaign but like all the other questions asked they had gone unanswered. They piled into the idling suburban and Olivia stated, "There is a leak. And it needs to be found before it causes damage to the campaign."

Cara nodded and pulled out her phone, "I will get someone on it right away."

"Make sure it's someone you trust because if it's some random staffer then fifty dollars can change their loyalty." As the suburban pulled away from the curb Olivia looked out the window. She wasn't certain if she wanted to be a part of another campaign and she wasn't certain if she was ready to deal with Fitz if she did decide to help but Cara was a friend so she would do the most that she could even if she didn't become Dr. Lewis' new campaign manager.

* * *

><p>Rachel was gone. No. She wasn't gone. She was dead. Her wife was dead. Murdered for some reason that Lauren couldn't figure out. She poured another inch of scotch into the almost empty tumbler in her hand. She was in a room that had just a bed in it. Lauren drained the glass again. She had locked everyone out. She hadn't taken any calls. Lauren had yelled, shouted, and swore at anyone who tried to talk to her. But she hadn't cried. She hadn't shed a single tear for the one woman she had loved for nearly a decade. Lauren let out a sigh and poured some more scotch into the glass. She wasn't certain when she had gotten the bottle of scotch but all she remembered was yelling for it. The bottle had been unopened and full when she had gotten it but it was now half empty. Lauren rested her forehead on the glass of the window that she had been staring out of. She hadn't taken in any of the scenery. She just stared out of the window and drank. Lauren felt hollow and she wondered how she would be able to carry on without Rachel. She regretted fighting with the woman on mundane things and she regretted the fact that they had gone to bed angry at each. Lauren took a deep breath then lifted her head off of the window before she drank the amber liquid in the glass and poured herself another drink.<p>

There was commotion happening outside of the room door but she didn't care. All Lauren cared about was all the mistakes that she had made and how she wouldn't be able to fix them because Rachel was dead. They would never have kids together. They wouldn't grow old together. The countless arguments about how they would redo the living room would never happen again. The door to the room was opened and Lauren continued to stare out the window but out the corner of her eye she could see Cara stand next to her. There was silence between them for a moment then Cara said, "I want you to meet someone."

Lauren scoffed then took a healthy drink from her glass which left it almost empty. Her voice was thick and gruff when she said, "I don't want to meet anyone."

She heard Cara sigh before she insisted, "You need to meet this person Lauren. I want to help you get through this so we can be able to use this to our advantage for the campaign-"

Lauren snapped her head in the direction of the other woman and there was a sharp edge to her voice as she stated, "I'm no longer running. I'm dropping out."

"Lauren you-"

"I am not fucking running Cara. You can run if you fucking feel like it. But I'm not going to. My wife is fucking dead because of this shit." Lauren shouted no longer having control of her emotions. She pinned Cara down with a cold look, "So no I will not continue my bid for the presidency. As an honour to Rachel's memory."

Cara stood fast in front of her and told her, "Rachel would want-"

Lauren pointed a finger at her and spat, "Don't you fucking tell me what Rachel would want. She wanted you gone but I told her you were good for me. She wanted kids but she put them on hold for me. She wanted to be the chief of surgery but she didn't because of me." Lauren took a deep breath and though tears blurred her vision they didn't fall, "Rachel sacrificed a lot for me and now she has made the ultimate sacrifice. So no Cara I will not continue my race for the presidency because my wife wouldn't want me to."

Lauren turned away from the dark haired woman and poured more scotch into her glass, this time filling it to the brim, before drinking enough of it so that the only thing she could feel was the mind clearing burn from the alcohol. When she had drank half of the glass she slammed it down on the window sill and demanded, "Leave Cara." When the woman continued to stand there she yelled, "Get the fuck out and get the fuck out of my sight. I don't want to see you right now and honestly I don't know if I'll ever want to see you again."

Lauren looked at the window even though she could still see Cara out the corner of her eye. Eventually Cara left the room and Lauren sighed. She was feeling so much at once and the only emotion she could really register was her anger. The anger she felt from losing Rachel. The anger she felt for how bad of a wife she had been to her and the anger that she was never going to see her wife again. As the tension built up in her Lauren's grip tightened on the glass tumbler then before she knew what was happening she let out an anguished yell and hurled the crystal glass at the wall on the other side of the room. The glass shattered against the wall just as a woman Lauren had never seen before walked in. "Feel better?"

Lauren scowled at her and snapped, "Get the fuck out."

"Anger. That's good. You'll need that when you tell the press that you will hound the police until your wife's killer is found. Then you will use that same speech to lay down your stance on crime."

Lauren scoffed at the woman's audacity to assume that she was going to continue her campaign. "I'm no longer running. I'm going to make my concession speech once my wife is buried in the fucking ground."

Olivia regarded the blonde in front of her and the anger, hurt, and suffering on the woman's face had reached a place inside of her that she thought she had compartmentalised. Olivia cleared her throat then moved her hair out of her face as she said, "I'm sorry and I'm sorry for your loss."

Lauren scoffed then reached for the bottle of scotch sitting on the window sill then she took a swig from it before shouting, "You're not fucking sorry. No one is fucking sorry. The only sorry one here is me and I can't even atone for it. My wife is dead and no one seems to fucking care." Lauren stared down the woman and hoped that she would leave her alone.

Olivia walked over to Lauren and took the bottle of scotch from her saying, "You're done. We're going to get you some coffee and you're going to sober up. Then we can discuss your concession speech but right now you are not to making any big decisions. You're drunk, your wife is dead, and you have nothing." Lauren gaped at the woman in front of her and she thought she was done but she wasn't. Olivia took a breath then told her, "But you do have your run for the presidency along with the millions of people who believe in you."

Lauren pressed her lips together and she took a deep breath through her nose then as she let out a shuddered breath, "But I don't have the one person who always believed in me." The tears that she had been keeping at bay blurred her vision and she cried, "She's gone. Rachel believed in me no matter what and now-" Lauren sniffed as the stream of tears ran down her face before she sobbed out, "And now she's dead and it's all my fault."

Lauren fell to her knees and covered her face as she heavy sobs racked through her body. Olivia walked over to Lauren and helped her up then guided her over to the bed. Once the crying woman was covered Olivia sat on the other side of the bed and watched over her until she succumbed to sleep thanks to the alcohol and grief. When Olivia thought Lauren was in a deep sleep she pulled her phone out of the handbag that she had sitting next to the bed then called the secure number. The line was picked up and the other person didn't say anything and they didn't need to say anything. Just knowing that they were on the phone was enough for Olivia but she had something wanted to say, "Don't die."

"'Liv?"

She took a deep breath as her emotions began to get the best of her and she wiped at her eye before an errant tear had a chance to fall, "Promise me you'll do everything in your power to stay alive."

She heard the concern in Fitz's voice as he asked, "Olivia what's this about? Are you okay?"

Olivia glanced down at the slumbering woman then said, "Promise me that you'll start eating right, and exorcising more, and doing everything possible to make sure that you live a very long life."

Fitz let out a small chuckle, "I will if you tell me what this is about."

Olivia took a deep breath then she let her head fall back against the headboard behind her then she slowly let it out saying, "If you ever die it would destroy me and I can't be that person Fitz. So I need you to promise me that you will do everything in your power to stay alive."

The line was quiet but then Fitz said, "I promise to do everything in my power to stay alive."

A small smile appeared on her face as she thanked him, "Thank you."

"Now do you want to tell me what's happened?" He asked Olivia wanting to know what prompted this sort of reaction out of her. But she couldn't tell him. Not yet.

She got off the bed and as she did she told him, "I can't tell you. Not yet but once everything is settled I will let you know."

Not hiding his confusion Fitz wondered, "Settled? What needs to be settled?" Olivia didn't answer his question. "Olivia tell me what you are getting into."

"I can't. I'll talk to you later." Olivia quickly said and as Fitz hollered for her she hung up the phone. She pressed the corner of the phone to her lips as she took a moment to centre herself. Fitz was going to be pissed and she would talk to him but there was a good chance that he would not listen. She left the room and headed downstairs. Olivia headed into the living room that Lauren's campaign staff had commandeered and she looked at Cara then told her, "I will help her." A smile appeared on Cara's face but what Olivia was going to say next would cause it to disappear from her face, "But it will be on my terms and we will have to push her because what she's going through, it's a distraction and the last thing we need is a distracted candidate. Do we understand?"

Cara got a hesitant look on her face said, "I don't think pushing Lauren would be good at this time. I mean Rachel was her rock and I don't think she knows how to deal with that properly."

"It doesn't matter if she knows how to deal with it properly as long as we give her what to say while she works through her grief then we'll coach her back into the perfect candidate." Olivia said already formulating a plan of action in her head.

Cara ran her hand through her hair and commented, "Lauren is not a puppet Liv."

"Then she better be ready to face what's coming her way without the support system that she's used to." She gave Cara a pointed look, "And she better find that on her own. Do we understand?" The gathered team and Cara nodded their head and Olivia sat down in a chair and said, "Good. Now let's get to work because this going to get worse before it gets better."

* * *

><p>Lauren watched as the coffin was lowered into the ground. She didn't cry. She was all cried out. She felt numb and she didn't want to do this anymore. The fire she had felt going into the campaign was no longer there but she was still in it. The words the minister was saying didn't register and when the funeral ended the numerous people who gave her their condolences didn't register either. Lauren was escorted back to the town car that had brought her to the funeral and she was now waiting for her was her new campaign manager, Olivia Pope. As soon as the woman got into the car she began to speak about her schedule and Lauren paid her no attention instead she wished she had a drink. At least the burn that alcohol gave her made her feel something more than the perpetual numbness, sadness, and loneliness that she had been feeling for the last few days. Lauren had been interrogated, coached, and paraded around in front of the press. She was a puppet now and that was fine with her. The less time she spent thinking about the campaign the more time she had to drink herself into a stupor without having to worry about the repercussions and if there were any Olivia would handle it. That's what she was there for.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>So this updated a lot sooner than anticipated only because it was short. Thank you for giving this story a chance and stay tuned to see how our presidential hopeful does after her wife's passing. Thanks for reading!<strong>


	3. Guilt Is A Cancer

****Disclaimer: ****I do not own the LG characters they belong to the wonderful people of Lost Girl, Showcase, Prodigy, et al. And all Scandal characters belong to the Goddess Shonda Rhimes, Shondaland, and ABC.********

* * *

><p><em>Three Months Later…..<em>

"I want to thank you all again for coming and giving me the opportunity to speak with you today about the issues our country is currently facing and how I plan to combat them if elected president. You have been a wonderful audience and I hope you all have a good day." Lauren gave one more gracious smile to the gathered crowd and to the cameras before leaving the podium. After going through the curtain that was behind her Lauren demanded, "A drink get me one now."

Cara came over to her and said, "Lauren you have an interview in two hours then we have a fundraiser tonight. I think you should forgo the drink. Also you still need to speak with the FBI about Rachel."

The mention of her dead wife made Lauren's anger spike and she looked around at the few people from her team who had come with her to the event and snapped, "If I do not have a fucking drink in my hand in the next two minutes you're all fired."

"Me too?" A voice asked and Lauren clenched her jaw.

Lauren turned around and snapped, "Especially you."

Olivia gave her a smug smile, "Well too bad we have an election to win."

A young man in a black suit brought Lauren her drink and she took a large gulp of the clear liquid that was in the glass. She closed her eyes briefly and enjoyed the sensation of the alcohol burning down her throat. She looked at Olivia with a hard gaze and stated, "You were primarily hired to clear my name as a suspect. And I don't see that fucking happening. The FBI still wants to talk to me. Some great 'fixer' you are." Lauren finished the drink then slammed the glass down on a nearby table before she began to walk away, "I'm going back to the hotel."

Olivia watched as the blonde walked away and sighed. She had been dealing with Lauren's anger for the last three months and each day it seemed as though it was getting worse. Olivia looked at Cara and asked, "Is she going to be okay for tonight's fundraiser? We need her to be focused tonight."

Cara sighed and told her, "I know we do Liv and I understand how important tonight is, really I do, but she hasn't had time to properly-"

"No. You do not get to make excuses for her. We've all had to make sacrifices and hers is having to grieve publicly. And if she can't do that in a manner that is befitting of this campaign then why are we still doing this?" Olivia demanded to know. Her own personal life had been affected by this campaign and she was frustrated with Lauren's displaced anger. She took a deep breath then sighed before she motioned for Cara to follower her. They went out to the corridor that led to the stage that the community centre had set up and Olivia said in a quiet voice, "My team might have found out some more information about Rachel's murder. The last call to her phone was from an anonymous number but the source was tracked back to a cell tower in Tacoma. This doesn't clear Lauren but it does add another piece of the puzzle. Who did she know in Tacoma?"

Cara gave her a light shrug, "I'm not certain. We looked through all her contacts and we talked to all her colleagues but there was nothing there." Cara let out a reluctant sigh, "You're going to have to speak with Lauren about this."

"Right and she's about as responsive as brick wall." Olivia conceded. She ran her hand through her hair then told her, "Get her to talk to Roger. And make sure she's all set for tonight. She's not doing well in the polls Cara and if she doesn't turn it around in the six months then she'll lose."

Cara let out a defeated breath and told her, "I think she wants to lose."

Olivia let out a soft scoff, "She probably does but we convinced her to stay in and now we're paying for it." Olivia gave the dark haired woman a concerned look, "Talk her Cara. She'll listen to you."

Cara shook her head in disbelief but she gave Olivia a small smile, "No she doesn't but we can only hope so."

* * *

><p>Lauren watched the buildings pass by as the car made its way back to the hotel that she was staying at. The town of Charlottesville, Virginia had a certain charm about it and it was that charm that caused the ever present ache Lauren felt from missing her wife even stronger. Rachel would have enjoyed the historic town and its country flair. She would have begged that they go on a tour of Monticello and UVA along with going to one of the numerous county fairs that surrounded the city. Lauren closed her eyes as a tear silently made its way down her cheek. There wasn't a day that she didn't miss Rachel but because she had to repress her feelings of loss and despair for the campaign Lauren had traded them in for depression, anger, and alcohol. Cara had tried to get her to talk to someone and even Olivia had ordered her to talk to someone but she refused. Lauren knew she should have given up the race because of her grief but she refused to because this damn campaign was the reason why her wife was dead. So she had become well trained in playing the political puppet. She made her speeches, made her appearances, and appeared gracious to all those that came in contact with her but in private she would cry and drink until exhaustion would hit her. The suburban reached the hotel and the secret service agents escorted her in. Two of them had been a part of Rachel's detail and Lauren did her best not to interact with them because they were only on her detail while she was in Virginia but they had failed her and more importantly they had failed Rachel. Lauren turned on her heel and looked at Sean, "I want these two reassigned. I can't continue to look at them."<p>

Sean got a sympathetic look on his face and sighed, "We need them for your detail Lauren. The others have gone ahead to the colleges that you will be visiting and with the threat of whoever killed Rachel still being out there we-"

"Then send those two to go help find her murderer or murderers because they didn't do their fucking jobs to begin with." She gave him a piercing look, "Get rid of them Sean." Lauren turned back around and made her way to the elevators.

Rachel's killer hadn't been found and she was still a suspect. The evidence against Lauren had become even more damning when they had found several e-mails between her and Rachel on Rachel's laptop that had been exchanged a month prior to her wife's death. They had fought about a number of things in the e-mails and it wasn't enough to convict her of murder but it was enough to raise a lot of suspicion. And she still refused to talk to the authorities because she was too angry and anything she would have said to them would have been less than professional. Lauren reached the door to her room and she moved to the side to let the Secret Service agents go in first so they could do a sweep of it. As she waited in the hall with one other agent she let her head fall back onto the wall behind her and closed her eyes. This was all she had left. Her job was gone. Her wife was gone and she was in the process of selling the home that she had shared with Rachel. The memories that they had made there were too much for her. When the all clear was given Lauren walked into the room and headed right for the mini bar. After she made a drink she got on her laptop and began to prepare her notes for the keynote speech that she would be giving at tonight's fundraiser.

* * *

><p>Olivia was wandering around the ballroom that was the venue for tonight's fundraising event and she was on the phone with Abby, who was in their office in DC, "Has Huck found anything about the phone that called Rachel?"<p>

Abby clicked her tongue then said, "Yeah. Turns out it was a burner phone that can be purchased at any local Wal-Mart." She then changed the subject, "I saw the luncheon speech. Lauren didn't look like a complete drunk on national television."

Olivia rolled her eyes then chided, "Abby leave it alone. I'm taking care of it."

"No you're not. Instead of seeing that she's a lost cause you keep putting her out there because the White house has blacklisted you and now you feel as though you have something to prove." Abby told her in a forthright tone. Olivia could see the truth in Abby's words but what was done was done and now she was dealing with a grieving, unresponsive candidate who was a prime suspect for the murder of her wife.

Olivia walked out onto the balcony that was off of the ballroom and commented, "She's a good person Abby and I'm not going to abandon her. She deserves a chance and I'm going to do everything possible to make sure she gets that."

"Even if she is homicidal?" Abby quipped.

Olivia chuckled then scoffed, "She didn't kill her wife. She-"Olivia sighed then steered the conversation into a different direction, "She lost the one thing that made sense to her and now nothing does so she's coping the best way she knows how even if it is destructive for her campaign."

The line went quite as Olivia thought about Fitz and how the two of them hadn't spoken in almost three months. When she had told him that she was going to be working for the Lewis campaign he had hung up on her and didn't answer any of her calls afterward. She had rationalised that it was for the best because he was up for re-election and him fawning over her while doing photo ops with his family wasn't good for his re-election bid but she had urged him to run. So he ran because Olivia had told him that she believed in him and all that he could do for his country. Fitz viewed her working for the Lewis campaign a betrayal and he wanted nothing to do with her.

"Liv you still there?" Abby asked in her ear.

Olivia shook her head then said, "Yes Abby I am here but I need to go. I have to try to convince Lauren to talk to the deputy director."

Abby snorted in her ear then told her, "Good luck with that. I heard the last time she met with him she threw a bottle of scotch at him." She let out a soft laugh, "I have to give the good doctor that one. That man can be a dick."

Olivia rolled her eyes then said, "Goodbye Abby. And let's find out who is in Tacoma. Go through her history and find out if there is anything there."

Abby told her okay and after she hung up her phone Olivia ran her hand through her hair then headed back into the ballroom. She spoke to several lighting technicians about the lights for the stage. She didn't want too much lighting on Lauren because between the drinking and the lack of sleep hiding the dark shadows was becoming a lot trickier. As she was doing that she remembered to call the makeup artist that was to show up at Lauren's hotel room to make sure that she looked like a presidential candidate and not a drunk for the fundraiser. Olivia disconnected the call with the lead artist and she had just slipped her phone into her handbag when it began to chime. She pulled it out then looked at the display and the name that appeared on it caused her eyebrow to arch. She tossed her hair to the side then brought the phone to her ear, "I thought the White House had nothing else to say to me after the verbal tirade you went on about me being a traitorous bitch."

"Well words were said and I'm going to take them back considering your candidate seems to be floundering in the numbers."Cyrus said in a voice that was so smug that it caused Olivia to smile.

She chuckled and replied, "Cyrus my candidate's numbers are my concern and we have four more months until primaries start. I'm certain Dr. Lewis can turn around."

Cyrus guffawed then remarked, "Turn around? Sure Liv." He calmed down a little then said, "Why don't you come back to a winning team? A team that isn't backing a murderous alcoholic who is in way over her head."

"Did you have a point in calling me Cyrus or did you only want to gloat? Which doesn't look attractive on you at all." Olivia told him as she tucked her hand under her arm getting irritated with the conversation.

The man took a deep breath then sighed, "As murderous as your candidate may be she still might have a lead with the whole dead wife and grieving widow act. I thoroughly enjoyed the impassioned speech she made on crime in America that had heavy emphasis on gun control."

Olivia was done with this conversation and she demanded, "The point Cyrus get to it."

"He misses you Liv." Cyrus paused for second then told her, "He hasn't said anything to me but the way he acts doesn't tell me otherwise. He tries to bury himself in the mountains of work that he has but he misses you and what you did to him was low. You were supposed to stand by his side and yet here you are working against him and for what? A few measly points that will get you nowhere come primaries?"

Olivia bit her bottom lip then said, "Cyrus I owe it to Lauren to see that she gets the closure from this campaign as well as her wife's death. And if you and Fitz want to take it personally then that is fine but know this, when it is all said and done I know I did the right thing."

Cyrus laughed in her ear then retorted, "Ah the white hat sentiment. I thought you had hung that up when you did whatever to make sure that Fitz won the presidency."

Olivia took a deep breath through her nose then told him, "I still stand behind that because I believe that was right. Fitz is the best president we have had in decades."

"Sure Liv. Ah look I've got to go but I called to say that you should throw in the towel. That horse is barely going to leave the gate." He told then he hung up on her.

Olivia tossed her phone back into her handbag then made her way out of the ballroom. She was having trouble reconciling the fact that her candidate could potentially lose along with everything she had risked to do this. Olivia stepped outside and got into the car that was waiting for her. But she was going to allow Cyrus to get his hooks into her. She was going to hold out hope that quite possibly Lauren could get her shit together so she could at least make it through primaries in a few months.

* * *

><p>Lauren was on her second glass of scotch and ready for a nap when there was a knock on her room door. She let out an annoyed sigh then said, "Come in."<p>

She didn't bother to look up from the reports that she was reading about her campaign. The numbers weren't good and she knew it but deep down she couldn't muster up the strength to give the slightest care about them. Cara told her, "You did well today. I think they believe that you can change the direction of this country." Lauren didn't say anything. She continued to look at the bleak reports that only made her want to drink even more. Cara cleared her throat then sighed, "You need to speak with the deputy director."

Lauren scoffed then shuffled through several reports before saying, "I will not be talking to that asshole. I have given my initial statement and there is nothing left for me to say to him."

"Who did Rachel know in Tacoma?"

Lauren stopped reading the sentence that she was reading and looked up. She knew exactly who was in Tacoma and she began to wonder why Cara would be asking about who was there. "Did you find out something about my wife's murder that you felt unnecessary to tell me Cara?"

Cara gave her a pointed look and countered, "I will tell you what Olivia's team has found out as soon as you speak with the deputy director. You telling him to go fuck himself is not a statement Lauren."

Lauren put down the paper that she was holding and remarked, "Oh it most certainly is. Asking me pointless questions about my wife's schedule and who she might have met with isn't going to find whoever killed Rachel. All it's going to do is annoy me. So continue to withhold information from me. It's not like you and Olivia haven't been doing that for the last three months."

"I have told you everything Lauren. I have held nothing back from you about the investigation, the campaign, or the news reports." Cara said as she stood her ground. Lauren had snapped on the woman enough times in the last three months that she was beginning to wonder if Cara was becoming immune to it.

Lauren got up from her seat with her glass, "That's bullshit Cara and you know it. You and Olivia talk about me behind my back and I know you two are questioning why I'm even doing this seeing where I don't give a fuck anymore." She gave Cara a piercing gaze, "Well I do give a fuck because what else do I have to care about? Not a goddamn thing. I would just be a shell of person and an alcoholic."

Cara walked over to Lauren and snatched the crystal tumbler from her hand then slammed it down on top of the counter as she stated, "You are an alcoholic Lauren. You've been one for three months now. If Rachel could on-"

"Don't you fucking dare bring Rachel's name into this." Lauren forwent the glass and took a swig straight from the bottle of scotch then said, her voice hoarse from the burn of the alcohol, "I maybe an alcoholic Cara but at least it's something. Without it I'd be nothing. Rachel made me believe I was something. She made me believe that I could be president." She poured more scotch in her glass then said in a quiet voice, "But no I don't have that and there is nothing that will ever replace her. So I'm going to continue to live out the dream that she believed in."

Lauren walked over to the desk that she had been sitting at and she didn't notice the sad look on Cara's face nor did care about the fact that she was crying. Crying over Rachel had become so common placed for her over the last few months that it rarely surprised her anymore. Except nowadays she didn't know if she was crying because she missed her dead wife or because of the guilt that she constantly felt over Rachel's death. Lauren stared at the computer screen as she sipped her scotch. Cara had walked over and she placed her hand on Lauren's forearm before saying, "Then why are pissing on what she believed in? If you're doing this for her then-"

"Stop Cara. Just stop. I don't need your sympathy. What I need you to do is to make sure that the team is doing all that they can do so I can get elected." Lauren said her voice was hard and angry.

Cara moved her hand then retorted, "Well then start acting like a candidate who is worthy of being elected because this whole dead wife platform you've been running on these last few months will only take you so far." She shook her head and added, "Then after that you'll become fodder for the late night talk shows and no one will want to vote for you once you do." Lauren's jaw tightened and as Cara walked away she said, "You have an interview in an hour and a half and I hope you're ready for it." Lauren heard the door open then Cara told her, "I'm scheduling Roger to meet with you tomorrow morning in the restaurant downstairs."

Lauren clenched her jaw and when she heard the door closed she reached for her mouse then opened the folder that held her pictures. Lauren opened up one that was of her and Rachel. They were on the mountain they had just skied down and the two of them looked so happy. Lauren finished her drink then got up to go shower. She would never be that happy again and she went even further to believe that she would never know happiness again. Believing all she would have is her grief, the pain, and the constant numbness.

* * *

><p>Two hours of handshaking and forcing a smile on her face was getting to Lauren and she hadn't had a drink in hours so her nerves were shot. She hadn't done a big fundraising event since Rachel had died so she wasn't prepared for it mentally. It was bad enough that Lauren had come to the event a little unstable because of the interview that she had to do earlier. The reporter had asked her questions about Rachel and she hadn't been ready for them so they took her off guard. It was then that Lauren had realised that Olivia and Cara had been pre-screening her interviews and that this was their way of letting her know that they were done placating her emotions. She had handled it as best as she could but she was certain that the reporter would vilify her in the morning edition of the Post tomorrow. Lauren shook the hand of a senator who had spoken of her resiliency after going what she had gone through and how he would be making a sizable donation to the campaign. That was one thing that continued to surprise Lauren. The unwavering support that the people continued to show her even though she was in self-destruct mode no matter how graceful she was doing it. Navigating politics was sometimes an overwhelming thing for her but there were moments when the support was too much especially since Rachel had died. She leaned over to Sean and whispered, "I need to get out of here and I need a drink."<p>

Sean held up his hand to stop the flow of people that were coming to meet Lauren and announced, "The doc needs some air so she'll be back to mingle with you fine people in a moment."

Lauren continued to wear the gracious smile on her face even though her cheeks were beginning to hurt from it. Sean and another agent escorted her out to the balcony that was attached to the grand ballroom and she leaned over the rail and joked, "If I jumped would one of you try to save me?"

Sean let out a low chuckle then told her, "Like I'd give you that chance."

"You're supposed to be like background and not interfere with my life." Lauren pointed out to the agent.

Sean countered with, "Unless there is a threat to it. In which case you hurting yourself becomes a threat and I have to protect you from yourself." He stopped then Lauren heard him exhale before saying, "You ever going to come out of this hole that you're in?"

Lauren looked at her hands which were clasped in front of her then honestly told him, "I don't know Sean. I don't know."

She felt a gentle pat on her shoulder and Lauren had to close her eyes to fight off the tears that were now blurring her vision. "I'll go get you that drink you were asking for but I'm not getting a strong one. We are all under orders to not let you drink. Olivia has enough power in DC to get us all fired."

Lauren let out a small chuckle then told him, "Well it will be out little secret. Thanks Sean."

The man told her it wasn't a problem then as soon as a replacement agent showed up Sean disappeared. Lauren looked out at the small, bustling city and all she could think about was her wife and her shortcomings. Lauren was deep in thought when she heard the female agent who had taken Sean's spot say, "I'm sorry ma'am but Dr. Lewis is having a private moment."

Lauren turned around to see who it was and she saw the astonished look on woman's face then she gave Lauren a small smile before saying, "I'm sorry. I didn't know the doctor was out here. I wanted to some fresh air. Being around rich, boring people gets a little...boring."

Lauren chuckled then told the agent, "She can stay." She then smiled at the woman wearing the stunning black dress, "It's a big balcony." Lauren took in the woman's appearance and noticed the black dress fit the brunette like a glove and they way her hair was put up with a few tendrils hanging down accentuated the woman's beautiful neck. Lauren began to blush so she looked somewhere else.

The woman walked over to her and gave Lauren a cordial smile, "Thank you Dr. Lewis." She stuck out her hand, "My name is Bo."

Lauren took the woman's hand, "Nice to meet you Bo. Are you enjoying yourself?"

Bo stood next to Lauren and looked out at the city as she told her, "Very much thank you. I'm excited to hear your speech later. I'm certain it will be a compelling one." She grinned at Lauren, "All of your speeches are compelling. You have a great presence up there."

Lauren gave the woman a genuine smile and told her, "Any trained puppet can do it. You just need to stay inside of the lines."

"You are nobody's puppet." Bo told her before saying, "I've seen numerous political races and I have seen my fair share of puppets but you aren't one. At least not in the beginning but now-Your heart isn't as into it as it used to be." Lauren looked away from Bo and back at the cityscape. She had lost her heart so there was nothing for her to put into her speeches. Except the anger and she was told that that wouldn't help her garner any votes so she tried her best to fake being passionate. Lauren looked over her shoulder for Sean. She really needed that drink. Bo started to say something but then she stopped and Lauren looked at her. She saw the contemplative look on her face and wondered what the woman wanted to say.

"What were you about to say? I like to hear what my constituents think of me."

Bo shook her head then chuckled, "It's not what I think about you. It's a theory on why I think you've lost the one thing that attracted me to you as a presidential candidate."

"Oh really? Please tell me what you think." Lauren said to the woman in a sarcastic manner.

Bo leaned closer to Lauren then whispered in her ear, "You need to get laid."

Lauren's head snapped up and she looked at Bo with a stunned expression on her face. She had thought that she was going to say something about Rachel but instead she had blindsided her with something that was unexpected. Lauren didn't know how to react so she snapped at Bo, "And what some one night stand with some woman who's basically throwing herself all over me is going to fix that problem right away." Lauren scoffed, "Clearly you are a deluded."

Bo grinned at her and she seemed to be unaffected by Lauren's response, "Be that as it may doctor but it'll relax you significantly. Its been how long since your wife died?"

Lauren stood up straight not bothering to hide the look of anger on her face, "This conversation is over. Have a good night."

As she walked back inside Bo shouted, "I wasn't talking about me but you know I'm right doctor."

On her way in Lauren ran into Sean and she took the drink in his hand then tossed it back. She couldn't believe the audacity that Bo had in telling her that she needed sex to solve her problems. Lauren hadn't had sex with anyone that wasn't her wife in almost eight years and on top of that she had no sex drive. But the woman had created a fire in her that went beyond her anger. She didn't know if it was because Bo had caught her off guard or if it was the woman's attractiveness. Either way she knew she was going to put whatever she was feeling to good use and use it during her speech. Lauren saw Olivia appear beside her and she tried not to roll her eyes in annoyance. "Careful doctor we don't want your supporters to think you've turned into a raging lush."

Lauren let out a soft snort then retorted, "No we wouldn't want that. Because it would destroy all the hard work that you've put in trying to hide the fact that I am a raging lush from the public.

Olivia wasn't fazed by Lauren's anger or response. It was such a common occurrence that if the blonde didn't lash out at her then she would have been concerned. She took a deep breath then wondered, "Do you know who you were speaking with for everyone to see?"

Lauren walked over to the bar and she requested a glass of water then turned to look at Olivia, "Some out of line woman who has an overinflated ego?"

Olivia got a curious look on her face as she wondered about what happened between the two women but she said, "No. That is the oldest daughter of your opponent William Dennis. She is a tabloid darling and there isn't a day that goes by where she isn't in trouble." Olivia got closer to Lauren and warned, "If you're going to be making strange bedfellows I recommend making them elsewhere. You already have enough piling up on your plate as it is. Let's not add a tabloid whore to it."

Olivia walked away from her and Lauren couldn't help but to wonder more about Bo Dennis. She did have an overinflated ego and she was brash. But in the moment Lauren had shared with the woman, before the she stepped out of line, Bo had seemed like a decent person. Lauren was going to have to have someone look into Bo for her but then she realises that here was no reason for her to do that. Bo was supporter and someone who wanted to piss her off. That was it. She had no reason to give the woman any more of her time. Lauren looked at Sean and said, "Let's go so I can get ready to give this speech."

Sean nodded then told her, "I'm certain it will be a wonderful speech."

The two of them along with the two other agents that were there to protect Lauren all walked out of the ballroom. Lauren smiled as she thought about her speech. It was going to be a good one. Bo had sparked something in her that she hadn't felt in a long time and she was going to infuse that into the speech that she was going to be giving.

* * *

><p>The moment she had seen Lauren talking with her Republican opponent's daughter Olivia believed that the woman was either completely reckless about her campaign or she truly did not give a shit. But then look on Lauren's face when Olivia had revealed who the younger woman was told Olivia that she had no clue who Bo Dennis was. Sometimes the doctor's lack of knowledge about the tabloids made Olivia's job easier but at the same time it was annoying. Olivia spotted Abby who was mingling around the crowd talking to the attendees who could give generously to Lauren's campaign. Olivia had called her in because the woman was persuasive in getting money from supporters. But what Olivia had found interesting was the fact that Lauren had been downright polite to all of her supporters considering the fact that she hadn't interacted with them in an intimate setting in a while. Olivia knew it was only a matter of time before Lauren did something in a public that would destroy all that she was trying to keep afloat. She played with the necklace around her neck then took a small sip of champagne. Lauren was set to go on stage in twenty minutes and Olivia was nervous about what she was going to say because she had told Cara that they couldn't continue to allow her to wallow in her guilt and anger anymore. Nor was she going to allow her to piss away the campaign. If she was going to do that then she would do it on her own. Getting Cara to agree had been tough but Olivia had been persistent and she told her that this was the best thing for Lauren. Abby walked over to her and said, "I'm surprised the alcoholic candidate can turn out a crowd of this size."<p>

Olivia gave her an exasperated look then remarked, "They want to see if she really is a train wreck or not. And if they don't think she is then we'll be getting more donations." Olivia took a sip of her champagne before commenting, "I have to say the doctor is looking very poised tonight."

Abby chuckled, "She does pull off designer dress quite well."

Olivia rolled her eyes and said, "Let's hope she can pull this speech off because neither Cara nor I helped her with it."

"Are you serious Liv? She hasn't written a speech on her own since her wife died. This completely ridiculous." Abby nudged her arm with her elbow, "Good thing I have some clients lined up once this ship sinks." The comment made Olivia shake her head.

Olivia turned to look at the tall red head and asked, "Have we found out anything about who's in Tacoma?"

Abby shook her head no and told her, "Nothing. We might need to find a different lead there."

Olivia got an annoyed look on her face. Finding out who was in Tacoma had been the best lead that they had gotten in trying to clear Lauren as well as getting an idea of who killed Rachel. She sighed then told her, "Okay. Keep digging. We need something because we've had this looming over our heads for three months now. I'm going to talk to the Director of the FBI tomorrow."

Abby chuckled and asked, "Are you even allowed to talk to him considering the White House is following your every movement?"

"When my candidate is a murder suspect for the death of her wife I'm allowed to speak to the director of the FBI." Olivia told Abby as she looked around the room. She spotted Bo Dennis, "Abby do you see that dark haired woman speaking with the gentleman in the dark blue suit?"

Olivia kept her eye trained on Bo as she waited for Abby to find her and eventually she said, "Yeah what about her?"

Olivia finished off her champagne then told her, "Find out her interest in Lauren. Her father, William Dennis, is one of the Republican candidates and if she's here to be a distraction for Lauren or to get her into trouble I want to know about it before it happens."

Abby gave her a curt nod, "Okay I'll see if I can get her to talk after I give a call to Huck and Quinn."

Olivia nodded then began to walk through the crowd so she could listen to what those in attendance had to say about Lauren. After five minutes she saw Abby talking with Bo and the woman seemed to have genuine intentions but it was hard to gauge. The world of politics seemed full of genuine people but they turned out to be quite the opposite. Moments later Lauren was being introduced on the stage by Cara and Olivia did her best to blend in with crowd. Her being Lauren's campaign manager was still hidden from the public and most thought she was only an advisor to the team. Lauren walked gracefully onto the stage and she had a certain look in her eyes that Olivia had never seen before. The expression on her face was one of determination and that of a fighter. Lauren looked like she was going to make up the minds for those who were still wondering who they would vote for. Lauren gave a gracious wave to the crowd then spoke, "Hello, good evening. I am so honoured that all of you could make it. I have a lengthy speech written but I have something I want to say first." When Lauren paused Olivia stopped breathing as she wondered if Lauren was going to continue. It was moment later that Lauren spoke and what she said surprised Olivia, "As we all know it has been a trying few months for me because of the death of my wife Rachel and I know it may have seemed like I have lost my way but rest assured I have not lost sight of the bigger picture. I know that-"

Olivia's attention was drawn from Lauren's speech when the clutch in her hand began to vibrate. She pulled her phone out of the small purse and the name on the screen made her breath hitch. She glanced at the stage and she saw that Lauren was still going strong and that the audience was captivated by her. Olivia made her way out of the grand ballroom and into the atrium before answering her phone, "What do you want?"

"You abandoned me."

Olivia rolled her eyes and scoffed, "I did not do such a thing. If anything you have abandoned me. You blacklisted me from the White House. You're having my movements watched in DC. And you stopped calling me. So if anyone has been abandoned it has been me."

Fitz let out a short laugh, "Nothing is ever your fault is it? You go work for some other candidate after you force me to run for another term. I wasn't going to run again. I had you and that was fine but no you came in on your fricking high horse and said your pretty words so I would give you what you wanted."

Olivia took a deep breath then ran her tongue across her teeth before asking, "And what is it that you think I want Fitz?"

His answer was immediate and the abhorrent response appalled Olivia, "I think you want another powerful politician at your beck and call. Someone who you can use your feminine wiles on then destroy them when they are no longer useful to you. Is that it Liv? Have I served my purpose? Is this why you've now gone to women because you've slept with the most powerful man in the world?"

"Fitzgerald Grant." Olivia hissed into the phone as she walked into a more secluded area of the atrium, "If you're going to reduce what we had together to that then you clearly aren't the man I once thought you were and you must have never thought very much of me." She took a deep breath then ran her hand through her hair, "You're not done yet. Not as president. That's why I told you to run-"

"If you believe so fuckin' much in me why are you helping her? She's nothing Olivia. 'The People's Doctor' is an over ambitious woman who probably wouldn't be able win a mayoral election held in the middle of bumfuck Montana." Fitz shouted into the phone making Olivia hold her phone away from her ear as she scowled in irritation. Fitz was drunk and ranting.

Olivia chose her words carefully as she told him, "I chose her because she needed me. I wasn't going to be involved in this election cycle but seeing her broken and at the brink of despair told me that she needed me. Whereas you don't need me Fitz. You have Cyrus and you have Mellie. You will be fine."

His drunken mind had chosen to pick out the one thing that would let the argument continue, "Is this what this is about? Mellie? That is not my fault. That is yours. I was ready to divorce her for you-"

"And that would have destroyed your presidency and overshadowed the work you have done and the work that you will do Fitz." She took a breath then sighed, "And no this isn't about Mellie. This is about Lauren. I know how you feel about Mellie so I'm not punishing you for that if that is what you're thinkg." Trying to rationalise with a drunken Fitz was pointless but she hadn't heard from the man in almost three months so any type of conversation with him made her weak. She had missed him. "I'm not punishing you at all Fitz." She told him in a quiet voice before saying, "She's someone who needs my help and something I can fix."

There was silence on the line between them and Olivia watched the people milling around the atrium as she listened to Fitz breathe on the other end. He took a deep breath then sighed, "I want to see you but at the same time I don't. What you did hurt Olivia."

"I know Fitz and I'm sorry."

There was another beat of silence and she heard him exhale one more time before the line disconnected. Olivia covered her mouth and closed her eyes for a moment as she tried to get control of the wild emotions that Fitz had provoked in her. Their relationship was complicated and it was further complicated by many other factors. But even if she hadn't told Fitz not to run again and they were together they would have been happy for a little while but then one of them would have wanted more. So Olivia believed that she was doing them both a favour. Olivia composed herself and she strode back into the ballroom with an expression on her face that told the world that she had one focus right now. And that was to get Lauren Lewis elected president.

* * *

><p>Lauren walked off the stage and she felt invigorated by the speech she had just given. It wasn't one of her best ones but it conveyed the message that she wasn't giving up and that if her supporters stuck with her then she was going to fight hard every day until Election Day even if she didn't believe it. Bo had stirred something inside of her and she had managed to hold onto that feeling throughout her speech. And now that it was finished she couldn't help but to feel guilty for the lies she had told her supporters. Lauren knew that she didn't have the strength to fight every day. It was a chore for her to get up and face the day knowing that Rachel was dead. But to do that while running for president was exhausting and she just wanted it all to stop. Lauren was hiding in a hidden hallway that was next to the stage. She had told Sean that she had wanted some time to herself and he allowed her to have it but there was an agent standing outside the door that led to the hallway that she was in. "Lauren."<p>

Lauren thought she was hearing things when she heard someone whisper her name but when the figure came out of the shadows she saw that it was the very woman who had re-ignited the fight in her. Lauren kept the impassive look on her face as she whispered, "I hope you know you could get put into custody for what you're currently doing."

Bo stepped closer Lauren and the close proximity of the woman caused her own body to react. The brunette moved to where she was behind Lauren and Lauren could feel her warm breath against her ear as she whispered, "This is true but you haven't cried for help yet so I'm certain I'll be okay."

Lauren rolled her eyes at Bo's arrogance then asked, "What do you want Bo?"

Bo let out a low chuckle that caused Lauren to bite the inside of her lip as the lower parts of her body began responded to the deep rumble. She internally swore at herself for reacting in such a manner. Rachel had only been dead for three months. It was inappropriate for her to react like this. Bo's hands came to rest on her hips and the woman turned her around so their eyes were locked on one another. Bo leaned in and whispered, "This." She pressed her soft lips against Lauren's and Lauren's breath caught in her throat. At first she resisted the kiss but soon Lauren gave into it. It had been so long since she had kissed someone and the way Bo's lips moved gently against hers while she held Lauren tightly against her was enough for Lauren to lose herself for a moment. But it was only for a moment. The guilt and anger came rushing back to the surface and when she was able to think clearly she shoved Bo away from her and snapped, "How desperate do you think I am?" Bo smirked at her and it infuriated Lauren further, "My wife has been dead for three months and you think I'm going to give into you like some cheap whore? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Bo continued to smirk, "Just giving you what I think you need doctor."

Lauren scoffed then turned around and walked away from Bo. She wanted to be pissed at Bo and on some level she was due to the woman's aggressive and blunt nature. But Lauren was angrier with herself. She was angry because it had taken one fleeting moment with another woman to make her forget about the guilt and anger that she had been feeling over Rachel's death. This had made her guilt ten times worse. She felt as though she didn't deserve to lose the guilt because it had been her fault that Rachel was dead and she felt that giving herself to another was betraying her wife's memory. But as Lauren walked out of the door she couldn't stop thinking about Bo's body being pressed against hers nor could she stop thinking about the soft, unyielding kiss that had claimed her mouth. The tormenting mixture of guilt and arousal troubled Lauren more but she knew that she wouldn't be in a compromising position like that again and once she got over her initial response then the guilt would be the only thing that she would have.

* * *

><p><strong>Idk how I'm feeling about this chapter. You guys should let me know what you think. Although I'm pretty excited for the next chapter. Thanks for readin!<strong>


	4. Is This The Real Life?

****Disclaimer: ****I do not own the LG characters they belong to the wonderful people of Lost Girl, Showcase, Prodigy, et al. And all Scandal characters be long to the Goddess Shonda Rhimes, Shondaland, and ABC along with any passing mention of Grey's Anatomy characters (I couldn't pass it up)********

* * *

><p>Lauren was sitting at the desk in her suite and in front of her sat <em>The<em> _Washington Post_ and _The Washington Times_. One held a scathing piece about how the grieving widow was blinded by her grief and how she wouldn't make it to primaries. While the other foreshadowed that Lauren's campaign would sweep primaries along with her taking the presidency. Lauren took a sip of the drink that she had. It was ten in the morning and she was currently drinking to drink away the taste of guilt and failure. The guilt was from the kiss that she still felt and the failure was due to many things but right now the culprit was the article lying in front of her that said that she was barely keeping her head above water. The reporter had speculated that by the time primaries rolled around in January most American voters would be saying, "Dr. Lewis who?" And the one thing that Lauren found most damning about the article was that he was right. Lauren rubbed her face with her hand and tried to clear her mind so she could gain some perspective. Realising that she couldn't Lauren took a deep breath and began to accept the fact that her campaign was beginning to die, more correctly, it was dying. Just like her wife. Lauren had barely finished off her drink when the door to her room opened. She heard the person's determined walk behind her then a basket full of roses were placed in front of her. Lauren was confused by the flowers and began to wonder who had sent them but she wasn't able to ponder for long because Olivia demanded, "Who are they from?"

Lauren glanced at her then back at the flowers before remarking in a sarcastic manner, "Did you look at the card?"

Olivia glared at Lauren as she picked up the almost empty glass next to her and took a sip from it. She snatched the glass from the blonde and countered, "I don't make it my job to look at my candidate's gifts. And you know what?" Lauren gave Olivia a bored look but she continued, "This would be fine if you hadn't caught the attention of a certain brunette. So tell me Lauren who are they from her?"

Lauren scoffed and got up from her seat as she stared Olivia down. Dealing with Olivia and her mightier than thou attitude wasn't something that she wanted to go through first thing in the morning. She had breakfast with the deputy director of the FBI in an hour and she had to prepare for that. Lauren plucked out the card that was nestled in the flowers and opened the envelope while she continued to stare at Olivia. According to Cara the woman was a necessary evil considering that she was also a suspect for her wife's murder which she still found preposterous. Lauren pulled out the card and read it, _"Doctor, When you're feeling less damaged call or text me. –Bo."_ Lauren read the card a couple more times and the conflicting feelings of arousal, guilt, and anger raged on inside of her. Knowing that Bo had sent the flowers caused her to think about the kiss for the hundredth time. She looked at Olivia and remarked, "It doesn't matter who they're from just know that it doesn't matter."

Olivia had had enough of Lauren and her attitude. Today was the day that she was going to stop placating her feelings. She walked closer to Lauren and told her in a low voice, "It does matter because you might as well say goodbye to the election if they're from who I think it is." She moved away from her and continued, "I've been told by numerous people that I should give up on you and I think they're right. You don't care about the campaign or the election." She scoffed, "You're more worried about your next drink and that's fine if you want to drink yourself to oblivion but I will not let you fucking do that with me around. You will ruin my reputation and I won't have that." Olivia glowered at the blonde in front of her, "You have no idea what has been sacrificed for this campaign to stay afloat while you drink yourself to death." She pointed a finger at her, "I am done sacrificing for you Lauren."

"No one asked you to sacrifice a fucking thing." Lauren argued. "I was ready to concede. I was ready to lock myself up and hide out the rest of my days so I could mourn the loss of my murdered wife. But you twisted Rachel's memory into something that made me believe that I had to keep doing this because it would honour her memory." Lauren walked over to the mini-bar, "Instead all it has done is driven me further into a pit of self-loathing and I hate you for it. I hate every fucking thing because of this damn campaign." Lauren confessed before picking up the bottle of scotch to pour herself another drink. After taking a steadying drink she spat, "You talk about sacrifices. You have sacrificed nothing except for a couple of cases from high profiled DC clients. I have paid the ultimate one. My wife. So at this point I have nothing to lose."

Olivia stood there seething. She was partly angry at Lauren but she was also angry at the fact that her silent sacrifices would never be accounted for. She knew that they were her decisions but it still didn't make them any less important. She had lost the man that she loved for this campaign. Olivia walked over to Lauren and took the glass along with the bottle of scotch from her and said, her voice rising, "Yes you have lost your wife because of this campaign." She gave her a pointed look, "We all know that but it is time for you to get your act together and act like you want to be president." Olivia walked into the bathroom and poured the bottle of scotch into the sink. She went back into the living room of the suite then told Lauren, "You have a choice. We can throw in the towel and you can go back to being a private citizen. Or you can actually fight for this presidency and make Rachel's death mean something." Olivia stared at her for a moment then stated, "Your decision Lauren."

Lauren watched as Olivia walked through the room then out the door making it slam behind her. She stood there looking at the closed door for a moment then she covered her face as she began to cry silent tears. Olivia was right. She couldn't continue on this path of self-destruction in the public eye. She was at a proverbial crossroads and she needed to make a choice. She could either continue to mourn the loss of her dead wife or she could begin to focus that energy on a more positive outlet. Lauren cried for another second before taking a deep breath and heading went into the bathroom, which reeked of scotch, to wash her face. After she dried off Lauren headed over to the door of her suite and opened it. She saw two agents but neither of them was the one agent that she had come to trust. "Where's Sean?"

The blonde man looked at her and said, "He is on personal time ma'am but he is available if needed."

Lauren bit the corner of her lip then gave the man a slight smile, "No thank you. It's fine."

She went back into her room then went over to the table that her cell phone was lying on. Lauren fortunately had Sean's number so she called it. When he picked up he said, "Did you finally assault someone with a scotch bottle?"

Lauren rolled her eyes then sighed, "I think I'm ready to come out of that hole. But I need a favour."

"I'm really glad to hear that and sure I'll do a favour. You name it and if I can do it I'll do it." The man told her not even thinking twice about her request. She didn't know what she did to deserve the man's trust but she was grateful for it.

Lauren bit the inside of her lip before requesting, "I need you to get me a phone with a secure line and Cara and Olivia can't know about it. Oh and it needs to have text messaging."

Lauren heard Sean make a reluctant noise before saying, "Ahh I don't know Lauren. I mean if Olivia finds out about this my ass is pretty much fired and I really like my job."

She sighed and told him, "Listen I will take all the heat for this but I really need you to do this for me Sean. Please."

The man let out a hesitant sigh, "Okay. I'll get it for you and I'll have it when I come back for my shift this afternoon."

Lauren got butterflies in her stomach but she grinned, "Thank you so much Sean. I'll see you later."

She disconnected the call. If she was going to stay with the campaign then she was going to need someone to talk to without any repercussions and the only person she could think of at this moment was the very person Olivia was leery of. Lauren walked over to the table and picked up the discarded card that was lying on it. She read the card and memorised the phone number that was on it before slipping it into her pocket. Lauren walked over to the suite door and once it was open she asked the agents, "Can one of you get me a coffee please?" The dark haired agent nodded then left to go get her a coffee. Lauren looked at the blonde agent and smiled, "I'm going to go take a shower then I think we are scheduled to go speak with the deputy director of the FBI."

The agent tried hard to keep the bewildered look off his face but this was a side of Lauren that he hadn't seen in three months so he was a bit surprised. Lauren closed the door then headed to the bathroom for her shower. Today was going to be a new start for her and she was going to begin it with a clear head along with a sharper focus. She wasn't going to wallow in her self-loathing anymore.

* * *

><p>Lauren sat down in the empty chair that was across from the man who was wearing a black tailored suit and she smirked, "Roger it is good to see you again. How have you been since our last meeting?"<p>

He gave her a pointed look, "You mean three months ago when you threw a bottle of scotch at me because you refused to answer any more of my questions?"

Lauren took a sip of water to prevent herself from smiling because thinking about the event now was a bit funny. During their last meeting Lauren had gotten fed up with Roger's pointless question so she threw a bottle of scotch right by his head and told him that she was finish. Lauren cleared her throat and then folded her hands on top of the table, "Roger I apologise for that. I was clearly distraught over the news of my wife's death and had been drinking a lot. I wasn't stable mentally."

Roger gave her a sceptical look and asked, "And are you stable now?"

Lauren gave him a polite smile then told him, "I am quite stable now." Roger nodded then he went to go open a folder that was sitting on the table next to him but Lauren continued to speak, "But I will let you know one thing." He looked up at her, "I will not be answering any of your questions today." Roger let out an exasperated sigh. "In fact I want to know why it is taking so long to find out who has murdered my wife. I feel this investigation should have been resolved at least a month ago considering I am a presidential candidate."

"You're a hopeful." Roger interjected which caused Lauren to raise her eyebrow at him so he added, "You haven't been nominated yet."

Lauren narrowed her eyes at him and finished, "In any case this should have been solved weeks ago." She leant forward and told him, "Now Roger I'm not certain what it is that has you cooling your heels over this but do know that I'm finding it very irritating. So find out who killed my wife or your incompetence will be the least of your worries."

She got up from the table and Roger yelled, "Get back here Lauren we aren't done talking."

Lauren turned and looked at him, "We were done talking when I sat down. This was me giving you a professional courtesy. Tick-tock Roger. Tick-tock.

She left out of the restaurant and as she walking across the hotel lobby she saw Sean coming towards her. Once he was close enough he said, "That was quick. I thought you were going to be cooperative?"

Lauren smiled and told him, "I was being cooperative. I called him incompetent and I didn't throw a liquor bottle at his head. That's progress."

He shook his head then remarked, "If you say so." He addressed the two other agents, "You two go do a sweep of the floor and I'll escort Dr. Lewis to her next destination." The other two agents left and Sean nodded his head, "What is your next appointment?"

Lauren sighed as the two of them walked over to the bank of elevators, "I'm meeting with Olivia and Cara to tell them that I'm not backing out in this race."

"Really? No bullshit?"

She looked up at Sean surprised by his frankness. "Sean language." He rolled his eyes and Lauren chuckled, "I'm serious though. I need to do this for myself. I need a sense of purpose and even if I don't win at least I can say I tried and gave my best." She paused then said in a soft voice, "That's what Rachel would have wanted."

The elevator arrived and they got on it then once the doors slid close Sean said, "I'm certain that's what she would have wanted. You two might have argued about the campaign but she thought you could go far." He gave Lauren a smirk, "So I say go for it and prove the assholes wrong." The two of them shared a laugh and it was the first time Lauren had laughed without any bitterness behind it. Sean pulled something from the inside pocket of his suit jacket then handed it to Lauren saying, "As requested."

Lauren took the phone from him and asked, "No one knows about this right?" He shook his head no then she wondered, "No one else has this number?"

"Unless you give it out to them."

"Traceable?"

Sean shook his head again then told her, "It isn't." He paused for a moment before saying, "I'm not going to ask why you want an untraceable phone with a secure line but I'm certain you have your reasons but if this messes with my career I'm sleeping on your couch."

"The less you know Sean the less shit you'll get in." Lauren pocketed the phone then smiled at him, "Also Sean…I don't have a couch anymore."

They shared another laugh before the elevator came to a stop. Sean got out of the car first then signalled to Lauren that it was okay for her to get off the elevator. They walked down the hallway to the suite that was temporary housing for Lauren's campaign until they went back to DC. She entered the room and as usual the main rooms were a hive of activity. Lauren went into the bedroom, which Olivia and Cara had commandeered, and when she entered the room Olivia said, "I had the team prepare a concession speech where you're going to explain that the loss of your wife is too hard for you to get over and that you're going to give up your bid for the White House." Olivia looked at Lauren and extended a sheet of paper towards her, "I can have a press conference setup in an hour."

Lauren took a deep breath then let it out before saying, "Destroy it." As she continued to speak the determination seeped into her voice, "I'm going to turn this around. I'm not going to wallow in my self-pity any longer. I'm going reinvigorate this campaign and I'm going to do my damnedest to win this presidency."

Cara smiled at her before walking over to give her a brief hug and saying, "This is amazing Lauren."

Olivia gave a slight nod and remarked, "It's not amazing yet. We have to see what we can do about these numbers but it's good to know that you're turning over a new leaf." Olivia dropped the piece of paper that she was holding then picked up a notebook, "Now let's talk about your agenda. For the next three weeks you'll be doing a campus tour then after that you'll be doing a three month tour of the south which will be filled with fundraising, because we need money desperately, and appearances. How do you feel about that?"

Lauren was hesitant to get back into the fray because even though everything sounded good on paper she was afraid of how she would respond once it was in action. Lauren ignored the persistent doubt that was running through her head and she got a determined look on her face as she remarked "Let's get started." The three of them joined the rest of the campaign staff that was out in the living room and began to strategise and coordinate the areas of the campaign that needed damage control; the areas that Lauren needed numbers in; and the areas that Lauren needed to reinforce. With all the numbers, reports, and financials laid out in front of her Lauren realised that they had a lot of work to do before primaries but she wasn't going to be discouraged by the information. Instead she took a deep breath and reminded herself to focus on the bigger picture.

* * *

><p><em>Two Weeks Later…<em>

The two women who were trying to get Lauren elected were currently at the campaign's headquarters in DC. Olivia looked up from the article that she was reading and glanced at Cara who was reading reports from the various field operations that they had around the country. For the last two weeks Lauren had been true to her word and was doing everything possible to turn around her campaign. She was doing her campus visits with enthusiasm and she even took the time to hold phone conferences with the various organisations around the country that were working to get her elected. Lauren had thanked them for all their hard work and had told them that she planned to meet with them all before everyone got swept away in the whirlwind that was primaries. Olivia was impressed with the fervour that Lauren now had for the campaign but there was one issue that could become problematic if it went unaddressed. Cara didn't look up from the report that she was reading but she did say, "What are you looking at Olivia?"

Olivia and Cara hadn't talked about Cara's feelings for Lauren nor had Cara mentioned them so Olivia was wondering why. She gave Cara a smile and told her, "You should go see your family. Primaries will begin in four months and I'm certain Paul and the boys miss you."

Cara chuckled as she wrote something down, "Paul and the boys are fine. I talk to them every night and they know that I am busy trying to get Lauren elected."

Olivia got a surprise look on her face for a second then asked, "I thought that's what I was here for?"

Cara looked at Olivia and smiled, "You are. But you also said that keeping me around for appearance's sake was a good idea and me going to Boston for however long isn't going to do that."

Olivia gave her a pointed look and told her, "Cut the crap Cara. We all know that down time is a rare opportunity on a campaign and you not taking it is ridiculous." She got to the point, "You don't want to be away from Lauren." The impassive expression remained on Cara's face but Olivia knew that she was right. She then began to accuse her for Lauren's path of self-destruction, "Every day you have been by her side taking care of her and not once did you challenge her decision to drink herself into a stupor. Nor did you do anything to stop her. In fact you've fought me more than you have her."

Cara put down her pen and asked, "What are you saying Olivia?"

Olivia leaned forward and told her in forceful tone, "Go see your family."

"No Olivia." Cara argued with her.

Olivia lowered her voice as she warned, "If you do not take the time off then I will make you." Her brown eyes pinned Cara down, "Because you are on a very dangerous line and I think you're going to cross it very soon which will ruin all the progress that Lauren has made." Olivia sat back in her chair and with a tone finality in her voice she stated, "So go see your family."

The two were in an intense stare down when an aide came running into the small office, "Ms. Pope, Ms. Pope. There is something you need to see."

Olivia got up and told Rachel, "I'll make the arrangement for you to fly out tonight. Go to your hotel and pack." She then followed the aide into the main room of the office which was an array of desk, tables, and chairs for the staff to do their work. They stopped in front of the flat screen TV that was mounted on the wall and Olivia looked at it then back at the young woman, "What is this?"

The young woman pressed the volume button on the remote and told her, "Just watch."

Olivia got irritated but she did what the woman told her and watched the TV. The CNN anchor came on the screen and said, "Breaking news out of Seattle today. It appears that Veronica Lacroix, out of Tacoma Washington, has come forward with a statement in regards to the killing of Dr. Rachel Lewis. The slain wife of Dr. Lauren Lewis who is a Democratic contender for The White House this election cycle." The bottom of Olivia's stomach dropped out as soon as she heard Tacoma but she continued to watch "We'll now go to a clip of the interview that was held this morning by the local station in Tacoma." The broadcast switched over to the recorded interview and a beautiful woman with braids in her hair came on screen while an off screen a male reporter asked, "You knew Dr. Lewis' wife Rachel?"

The woman gave a slight nod of her head which caused one of her braids to fall into her face which she swept away before saying, "I did."

The reporter then asked, "And in what capacity did you know Rachel?"

Olivia could see the unshed tears glisten in the woman's eyes. She knew that they were genuine and the heartbreak on Veronica's face was enough to make Olivia's heart ache. Yet at the same time she knew this woman was going to reveal something that was going to place a devastating blemish on the campaign. Veronica wiped away the stray tear that had fallen then said in a strained voice, "She was my lover." She covered her mouth with her hand for a second then Veronica went into how she and Rachel had met, "We met a few years ago when she was giving a lecture to a group of interns about astrocytomas. I had walked in to the lecture hall to listen because she is-or was…"Veronice stopped as more tears fell from her eyes. She was handed a tissue then given a moment to gather herself before she continued, "We had met afterwards and she was her endearing self and I knew right away that I wanted to know more about this fascinating woman."She wiped away more tears.

"Did you know that she was married to Lauren?"

Veronica nodded and responded, "I did and after several months Rachel had ended our affair."

The reporter then asked, "The affair ended?" The woman nodded her head yes then the reporter wondered, "If the affair ended then why are you coming forward? Is this to slander the Lewis campaign or is this a personal vendetta?"

Veronica adamantly shook her head no and insisted, "This has nothing to do with Dr. Lewis' campaign. I'm here because of Rachel." She took a deep breath then said, "I loved Rachel." She paused again then admitted, "Our affair had continued when Lauren wasn't home. A few days before her death we talked and she told me that she was going to be leaving Lauren and how she no longer loved her anymore."

"So you two kept in contact?"

"Yes." Veronica then cleared her throat, "We kept in contact and we would meet up whenever I was in Seattle or she was in Tacoma giving a lecture. We remained friends but when Lauren began her campaign and was on the road more we fell back into our affair." The woman took a deep breath then begged "Please I just want justice for Rachel and some peace for myself."

Olivia was scowling at the TV and she was pissed. She turned to the room of gathered aides and staff members then began to give orders, "Call all local and national TV outlets and ask if they're going to air this interview. Find anyone who can back up her story or can discredit it." She then shouted, "And someone get Lauren Lewis' ass back to this office."

Cara walked over to her and smirked, "You still want me to leave?"

Olivia gave her a pointed look and glowered, "I want you in Boston tonight. I will handle this."

Olivia pulled out her phone and began to walk back to one of the offices. When Abby picked up Olivia's voice was harsh and angry as she stated, "Rachel was having an affair."  
>"So I see." Abby remarked.<p>

Olivia frowned then demanded, "Find out who organised her to talk to the press. Get information on her. Find out everything Abby and get it to me as soon as possible."

Abby agreed and then hung up with her. Olivia ran her hands through her hair. Trying to prepare for a shitstorm that she hadn't seen coming was going to be a nightmare but she believed that they would be able to get through it. She then began to think of the different ways that she could spin the story so that Lauren was in a positive light. Olivia took another deep breath then walked back out into the large room to organise the team for the media circus that was about to ensue.

* * *

><p><strong>Aw snap it's a plot twist. How's Lauren going to take the news if she doesn't know? How will this effect the campaign? Will Lauren hunt down Bo? Will Syd get her Poplew moment? Stay tuned gentle readers and all answers will be answered. Eventually. (Also reviewing is nice.)<strong>


	5. Confronting The Past andAvoiding The Now

****Disclaimer: ****I do not own the LG characters they belong to the wonderful people of Lost Girl, Showcase, Prodigy, et al. And all Scandal characters be long to the Goddess Shonda Rhimes, Shondaland, and ABC.********

* * *

><p>Lauren was standing around talking with a group of students at George Washington University when her secure line began to vibrate in her pocket. She excused herself from the group of students then walked over to a secluded area of the quad before answering her phone, "I was surrounded by a group of co-eds and you decide to call."<p>

Bo let out a soft chuckle, "Right Lauren." She then added, "Like you were really interested in any of them. You're barely interested in me and we talk almost every day."

Lauren smiled and remarked, "You never know. Things could change. Maybe a young co-ed is just the thing that I need to give me back that spark you say I'm missing."

Bo scoffed and asked, "What would your handlers think about that?"

Lauren found a large oak tree to sit under and as she lowered herself to the ground she told Bo, "I'm certain they'll have a field day with that one but at the moment as long as I'm not drinking and throwing scotch bottles at people they probably won't care."

Bo laughed and said, "I do remember hearing about that one. Dad actually had himself a good laugh about it and if I remember correctly he called you a spitfire."

Lauren rolled her eyes and commented, "Oh wonderful the leading republican thinks I'm a spitfire." Lauren began to pick at the grass, "I'm sure that will be helpful to bipartisan relations if I get elected."

"You will get elected Lauren." Bo insisted then she laughed, "And if I have to go out and show my ass so that it's on the cover of every tabloid so you can get elected then I will."

Lauren got a small smile on her face. She had done her research on Bo Dennis before the two of them had started talking. Bo was the thirty year old daughter of Republican senator William Dennis who was also in the race for president. Bo was Will's wild child and she was being kept well hidden by his campaign and for good reason too. Bo loved the bad attention that she got from the tabloids. From drug allegation to hidden rehab stints to public brawls Bo had done it all. She also was linked to several celebrity lovers but none of them had been serious. The more information Lauren had found out about the woman the more intrigued she became by her so she texted Bo four days ago. The two of them had fallen into this flirtatious routine that allowed Lauren to take her mind off of the campaign, Rachel, and all the other craziness in her life.

Lauren flicked at a blade of grass and told her, "I'm certain you would considering it's something that you do." She paused then clarified, "I'm talking about you showing your ass in public."

Bo clicked her tongue then told her, "I'd show you my ass if you wanted doctor."

Lauren took in a sharp breath through her nose before saying, "You're breaking rule number two Bo."

Bo purred in her ear, "You know I don't follow the rules Lauren."

Lauren licked her bottom lip then bit it as the excitement began to course through her. Bo had this ability to cause a low burn in her that resulted in a number of confusing emotions and feelings. Lauren took a deep breath then retorted, "If you don't follow the rules Bo then we will stop talking."

Bo let out an aggravated sigh, "Fine I will follow the rules." The line was silent a moment then she asked, "What are you doing later?"

Lauren leaned her head back against the tree and closed her eyes as she said, "I think I have a small function with some members of Planned Parenthood after that I'm to give a speech at the Veteran's dinner and after that I am hoping for a glass of wine."

Bo let out a soft hum before wondering, "I thought you quit drinking?"

Lauren chuckled and told her, "I quit drinking to escape my feelings. Me having a glass of wine to unwind is relaxation."

"You know there are other ways to relax right?"

"Bo…"

"Okay Lauren. I'll stop." Bo acquiesced.

The two of them were quiet for a second then Lauren said, "What are you doing tonight?"

Bo groaned then replied, "I'm going to a play with a friend of mine then I might be going to a party on the Upper East Side." She sighed, "I should do some work but I'm not feeling that at the moment."

Lauren rolled her eyes at Bo's lack of a work ethic and commented, "You're a fashion photographer. How much work could you possibly have?"

Bo scoffed and answered, "A lot. I've got two layouts due at the end of this week and I've got a couple shoots in LA next month that I need to prepare for." She then added, sounding quite offended, "Just because I'm not trying to change the world doesn't mean my work doesn't matter."

Lauren realised she had crossed a line and apologised, "I'm sorry Bo. I know your work matters to you." She smiled, "And you do change the world but you do it in your unique way."

Bo chuckled and asked, "Was that a compliment?"

"No." Lauren grumbled with a grin on her face. Bo was a wonderful distraction and the easy conversation that occurred between them was so simple that it wasn't hard for her to lose herself in it. "Are you in DC or New York?"

Bo wondered, "Why do you want to know this?"

Lauren shrugged then told her, "I'm curious. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"Then I'm not going to." Bo stopped talking then continued, "When am I going to see you again Lauren?"

Lauren's throat tightened then she whispered, "Don't ask me that Bo. I told you I'm not ready."

The line went quite again and Lauren was about to say something to remedy that but she saw that Sean, and several other agents, were running over to her. When he was close enough he said, "You forgot to turn your phone on and now Olivia Pope is on a warpath. We have to go."

Noticing the sense of urgency in his tone and the alert way he was looking around Lauren knew something big had happened and it affected her. She got up and gave him a nod as she told Bo, "I have to go Bo. I'll talk to you later if I can."

"I might not answer but you can text me doctor." She chuckled, "But how much longer do you think I will continue to be your dirty little secret?"

As Sean guided her through the campus quad Lauren rolled her eyes and remarked, "You're not a dirty little secret Bo. I'll talk to you later. Bye."

Bo told her goodbye then the call disconnected. Lauren looked at Sean and asked, "What's wrong with Olivia? I thought the campus tours were doing us some good this week."

He shrugged and told her, "I wasn't given details. I was told to get you back to the office and look out for press." He spoke some instructions into the microphone attached to his cuff then told her, "We've got some press out front so we're going through another exit. Also Olivia sounded pissed so be prepared."

Lauren's mind was a plethora of thoughts as she tried to figure out what she could have done to piss Olivia off as well as wondering why the press was after her. She was sure that no one had found out about her and Bo's secret calls but there was no other thing she could think of that could garner this much attention. Lauren and her entourage of agents went through one of the buildings and when they exited there was a limo waiting for her. Lauren, Sean, and one other agent got into the waiting limo while the other agents accompanying her got into the waiting suburbans. The ride back to the office was uneventful but when the limo pulled up in front of the building that housed her DC office there was a mob of reporters that were blocking the entrance. As the limo manoeuvred its way through the reporters Sean was giving out orders to the other agents. Lauren was nervous about what was going on. Her mind had created a number of things and the top two were her being arrested for Rachel's death then the other was that someone had discovered her contact with Bo. As soon as the crowd was under control Sean asked if she was ready and Lauren asked, "Sean what the hell is going on?"

He didn't answer her so Lauren gave him a slight nod that told him that she was ready to go. Sean gave another set of orders and Lauren sat back in her seat as she waited for Secret Service to make a path for her. Once it was made Sean escorted her out of the limo. With Sean and two other agents guiding her towards the entrance Lauren couldn't focus on the numerous questions being shouted at her. The police that were guarding the building opened the door and as soon as she was inside Lauren looked back at the reporters. She still had no idea what was going on. Sean and another agent joined her on the elevator ride up to the floor that held her campaign offices and as soon as she walked through the glass door Olivia charged over to her and demanded, "Who the fuck is Veronica Lacroix?"

Between the reporters and the numerous thoughts that she had fabricated Lauren was confused a moment. But then as the name buried its way into her mind she asked, "What does Veronica have to do with anything?"

Olivia turned and pointed at the TV which had been playing Veronica's interview on a loop. Lauren walked closer to it and watched the interview that was playing. All she could do was stand there in shock. Hearing the news of Veronica and Rachel restarting their affair along with the fact that Rachel had planned to leave her had left Lauren feeling shocked and angry. Olivia watched Lauren as she responded to the interview. The stunned look on her face told Olivia that Lauren hadn't known about the affair and that she was just as surprised as Olivia was. Lauren couldn't watch anymore. She left out of the open area and headed back to her private office then once she had the door closed and locked she called Bo. Bo picked up and said, "I didn't expect you to call back so soon."

"Are you in DC?"

Bo's voice had lost the flirtatious undertone as she answered, "I am. Why?"

Lauren didn't answer her question but she did say, "I'm going to make arrangements for you to be picked up later tonight. What's your address?"

Bo gave Lauren her address then asked, "Lauren are you okay? I thought this was too much?"

Lauren scoffed and retorted, "Yeah well clearly I'm an idiot. The car should be at your place around ten tonight." She ran a hand through her hair, "I've got to go Bo but I'll see you tonight."

Bo told her okay and the two of them hung up. Lauren dropped into her office chair then held her head in her hands. She didn't think that this would come back to bite her in the ass nor did she think that Rachel was that stupid. She should have known that something was up considering the amount of arguing that they had been doing up until Rachel's death. Lauren had chalked it up to Rachel being upset with the fact that she was on the road so much but obviously there had been more to it. There was an insistent knock on her door and she took deep breath then got up to go answer it. She opened the door to find Olivia standing there and Lauren let her in. After the door was closed Olivia crossed her arms over her chest and asked, "Are you okay?"

Lauren nodded and sighed before telling her, "For the most part. But seeing my wife's mistress on TV is a bit unnerving." She got a perplexed look on her face, "Is there a reason why Veronica was on the television telling the world about her and Rachel's affair?"

There was an underlying tone in the question that told Olivia that this wasn't the first time Lauren had heard about Rachel's affair. "You knew about the affair?"

Lauren walked over to the refrigerator to get a bottle of water. She wanted a drink but her office was dry now so all she had was water. Lauren took a drink from the water bottle then looked out of her office window as she said, "I did." Then she began to explain, "Three years ago I was working more because I was close to having my biggest medical breakthrough so I wasn't home as often as I should have been. But I thought it was okay because Rachel had taken a liking to teaching even though it that meant our schedules clashed a majority of the time. Right when I was about to tell Rachel of my intentions to run for president she told me about her affair." Lauren turned to look at Olivia who was hanging onto her every word, "It led to one hell of an argument about what she wanted and how I wasn't giving her that. I should have let her go at the time but to run as a divorced candidate…"She chuckled a little, "It would have been political suicide even before my campaign began. So we came to an agreement. She wouldn't leave me and I could run for president. But once the elections were over we had to start a family. It was a solid agreement and she ended the affair." Lauren ran her hand through her hair then sat down on the edge of her desk, "I didn't know she had restarted her affair but then again I was on the road."

Olivia looked at Lauren and asked, "You didn't think it was pertinent to tell me about this affair?" She scoffed, "Because it's now going to cause everyone to focus on that instead of you."

Lauren shrugged and told her, "It was before I decided to run. Rachel and I had taken care of it. I didn't think she was stupid enough to start up her affair again nor did I think she was going to get killed." She sighed, "We'll have to deal with it."

Olivia shook her head and countered, "_We_ won't be doing anything. _I_ will be dealing with this and finding out why she was the last person to speak to your wife. Maybe she's behind Rachel's murder." Lauren let out a soft snort which caused Olivia to ask, "You don't think she is?"

Lauren sighed again. It was going to be a tough conversation but if it helped them to move on from this Veronica thing fast enough then she was going to talk about it. "They loved each other. I loved Rachel but I couldn't give her what she wanted." Lauren got up to pace as she admitted, "And I honestly don't know if I was going to give her what she wanted. So she found that with Veronica." Lauren had learned a long time ago that her wife's heart was no longer hers. Rachel had continued to play the part for her sake and Lauren thought that on some level Rachel still loved her but she knew it wasn't the same. Lauren took another drink of water then asked, "So what's next? The media will want me to make a statement. I know they're going to ask about Veronica and find some way to link it to Rachel's murder. Are we screwed?"

Olivia paced as her brain shot off scenario after scenario. There were many ways to spin this in Lauren's favour and each one turned Rachel into a villain and an unsupportive spouse. She also realised that Lauren wouldn't do anything that would tarnish Rachel's memory like that. Olivia looked at Lauren and told her, "You didn't know about it. If the press asks you for your thoughts or opinions on the whole thing you will tell them no comment. I will make a statement on behalf of your campaign that will make it seem as though you are focused on the election and finding Rachel's murderer." Olivia began to walk around as she continued, "We will downplay Veronica's interview and say that you hope that she accomplishes what she has set out to do. Make her seem unimportant. Maybe that will minimise the attention that she gets."

Lauren nodded in agreement. It was the best that they could do considering the bomb that was dropped on them. Lauren stood up and said, "I guess we'll go with that. What will happen if it garners more attention than we can deal with?"

Olivia's eyebrow arched up as she told her, "I hope you're prepared to drag both your wife and her mistress through the mud."

Lauren got a slight grimace on her face. That was one thing she didn't want to do but she sighed, "If it's necessary." She looked at her watch then said, "I have that meeting with the leaders of Planned Parenthood. I'm going to go back to the townhouse and change."

Olivia nodded and told her, "Okay. We're going to talk about your appeal to conservative voters before we head south on Monday." She smiled, "You're a little too liberal and that scares the bible thumpers of the south and Midwest."

Lauren chuckled and remarked, "And I thought it was my marriage to woman that scared them the most."

"Oh that does too but your wife is dead now. So now they've either humanised you or think that you deserve the suffering that comes with losing a spouse." Olivia pointed out as she began to walk out of Lauren's office. She gave Lauren a brief smile, "If it's any consolation a majority of America thinks that you're nicer than any of the other candidates." The two of them laughed then Olivia said, "I'll tell Sean that you're on the move."

"Thanks Liv." Lauren told her before Olivia walked out of the office. She began to wonder where Cara was but then assumed that Olivia must have sent her off to do damage control. Lauren pulled out her other phone and sent Bo a text, _"My wife's mistress had an interview today."_

Lauren didn't have to wait long for a reply,_ "Rachel had a mistress? Oh god Lauren that sucks."_

She let out a soft snort then sent back, _"I knew about her. She had stopped seeing her but she had started seeing her again when I was on the road. I would say I'm surprised but I'm not really. Rachel's final fuck you to me I guess."_

Lauren wasn't wallowing in self-pity but she knew that her wife could be vindictive at times. So what better way for her to get back at Lauren one last time than to have her mistress come out of hiding and disclose their affair which would send her campaign into panic mode. Her phone vibrated in her hand and she looked at the screen, _"If that's what you want to stick with. Sounds like she's trying to sabotage your campaign. Is your team looking into it?"_

Lauren sent Bo a quick yes then slipped the phone into her pocket before walking out to the front of area. She went over to Olivia and told her, "I'm leaving now. I'll see you in the morning."

Olivia scoffed and told her, "I'm going to swing by your house tonight because we need to go over some-"

Lauren held up her hand and stopped Olivia, "In the morning. Today has been one hell of a day and I'm not done yet." She then pleaded, "I just want one night of sleep. Please Liv."

Olivia contemplated Lauren's request then told her, "Fine but I'll be sending Abby over to your place in the morning. We have several fundraising events this weekend and on Sunday you're going to be having dinner with President Grant and The First Lady."

Lauren got a surprised look on her face, "Really? For what reason?"

Olivia glanced at her and told her, "It's a normal press dinner. They're typical in Washington. Get used to them Lauren because if you're elected they'll become part of your life." Olivia was doing her best to keep the nerves out of her voice. She was also going to be going to that dinner and the thought of seeing Fitz for the first time in almost four months was making her nervous.

Lauren sighed and told her campaign manager, "Okay. What time will she be there?"

Olivia was getting annoyed and she countered, "It doesn't matter Lauren. She'll get there when I tell her to be there." She looked at Lauren, "Now go prepare for your meeting."

Lauren held up her hands and told her, "Alright. Alright. I'm going." She and Sean walked out of the office and after she waved to a staffer that was coming in she said to him in a quiet voice, "I need a car to go get Bo at her apartment in Dupont then bring her back to my house. It needs to be discreet."

Sean sighed and told her, "I'm not risking my job for this Lauren."

She gave him a matter of fact look, "Fine don't do it." She then said, "I'll have to find some way to escape the night detail then I'll be unguarded for who knows how long then when it gets reported that I'm dead, because someone did just murder my wife, I wonder who they will look at first."

Sean glared at her and remarked, "I forgot how mean you can be." He sighed, "I will arrange something but tell Ms. Dennis to meet us at a rendezvous point because I don't want to risk my team getting caught by the tabloids that hangout waiting for her to do something."

Lauren nodded and told him, "Okay. Give me the location and I will have her meet your agents there."

Sean shook his head and muttered, "I swear to god if I lose my job…"

Lauren gave him a pat on the shoulder and told him, "If I win the election you can become the man that will be in charge of the president's detail. If I lose then I'll hire you as private security. Deal?"

Sean looked at her then grinned, "I take back that mean thing. You're alright doc."

The two left the building and after battling the reporters they got into the town car that was going to drive them to the townhouse that Lauren was renting for when she was in DC.

* * *

><p>Olivia was preparing to make her press release about Victoria Lacroix when her phone began to ring. She picked up the phone and answered it, "What did we find?"<p>

Abby began to rattle off information, "She is a neo-natal surgeon. Has been working at Tacoma Gen for the last ten years. We called around about her and colleagues describe her as nice, hardworking, and nothing short of an angel. She has a sister and the sister claims that over the last few years Victoria has mentioned on several occasions that she was seeing someone."

"Shit."

"Oh it gets better." She commented before continuing, "Huck was able to get more information from financial and technical aspect. Rachel never ended the affair." Abby paused before she kept going, "There are charges on her credit card statement that go back for the last two years that prove that Rachel and Veronica spent a lot of time together." Olivia heard some papers shuffle then Abby said, "Now this is where it gets interesting. After Rachel's death Lacroix began to get large dollar amount deposits into her account."

Olivia walked over to the window that over looked the avenue and began to wonder why the woman would be getting large dollar amount deposits. "Did Huck find the source of these deposits?"

She heard more paper shuffling then Abby told her, "An account out of the Caymans. What are you thinking?"

Olivia looked at her reflection in the glass of the window, "I'm thinking she was involved with Rachel's murder then told to come forward with her affair. Either way it goes she wasn't acting out of love." Olivia started to play with her necklace as she thought more about the precarious situation that they were now dealing with, "Have Huck put her name on the no-fly list. And contact Roger. Let him know that this information came to us from an anonymous source. Can't have him sniffing around."

Abby agreed then asked, "Anything else?"

"Have Huck continue to look at her and Rachel's financials. See if anything unusual pops-up. And let's start digging into Rachel." She paused for a moment thinking about what Lauren would say, "Keep it quiet. I don't want Lauren to find out quite yet. We just got her focused." Olivia moved away from the window. She was starting to believe that Rachel had some hidden skeletons in her closet and she wanted to know all about them especially if they were going to damage to Lauren's campaign.

* * *

><p>It was ten thirty when Lauren walked out of the dinner that had been held in her honour by the Veterans' Association. Her speech and talking with vets had gone a lot longer than she had anticipated but because she was having a good time she didn't keep track of how late it was. It wasn't until Sean told her that she needed to get going did she check the time and remembered that Bo was waiting for her. She slid into the waiting town car followed by Sean who said, "Your guest is annoyed that you have her waiting for you."<p>

Lauren let out a small laugh as took the phone that Sean had been holding for her while she met with everyone that she could. She looked at the last text message that Bo had sent and replied, _"If you believe that I'm going to win then you should know that I'm doing important work."_

She looked at Sean and asked, "Anything from Olivia?"

He chuckled and told her, "I think she's being true to her word and allowing you to have the night for yourself." He got a contemplative look on his face then wondered, "So you and the Senator's daughter….what's that about?"

The phone vibrated and as she responded to Bo Lauren told him, "I…." She stopped typing out her text message then sighed, "I don't know. I can't have a relationship with her. I'm still working through my grief over losing Rachel." A small smile appeared on her face, "And Bo is too much of a free spirit."

The phone went off again and the message read, _"Also you're out of white wine."_

Lauren chuckled then finished talking to Sean, "I don't want to break that. And that's what would happen if she were to get involved with me. This campaign is tough and we haven't even hit the really hard part of it yet." She sent her message to Bo, _"That was a new bottle of wine. You finished it all?"_

"So you've just closed yourself off for anyone who could potentially make you happy because of your grief and the campaign?" Sean asked just as Lauren received a response from Bo.

Lauren sighed and told him, "I don't know."

"_I was thirsty."_

Lauren smirked and responded, _"Nobody is that thirsty and wine isn't adequate enough to quench one's thirst."_

Sean then pointed out, "I haven't seen you smile like that in awhile so she has to be adding something to your life that's making you happy."

Lauren rolled her eyes and remarked, "Cut it out Sean. If I wanted to talk about my feelings then I would see a shrink. Bo is a distraction and that is all. Okay?"

The man held up his hands and told her, "I was making an observation but okay."

Lauren's phone went off and before she looked at the message she commented, "Of course you would notice." She grinned at him, "It's your job to watch."

Sean held up a finger and countered, "The surroundings and nothing else. I'm not into that vouyerism shit."

Lauren laughed and read the message that Bo had sent her,_ "Are you playing doctor now because I could be into that."_

Lauren took a deep breath. She wasn't ready for any sort of relationship mentally or emotionally but her body was physically ready for something. Anything really. She had tried to take care of her physical needs on her own but that had resulted in her missing Rachel which was then followed by a bout of crying. She hadn't tried again but the feelings that Bo provoked in her whenever she suggested something sexual in nature was enough for her to reconsider another attempt. She bit the inside of her lip then replied, _"The only doctor I'm interested in being is a surgeon. What are you doing?"_

Lauren hoped that the response would have deflected the conversation from where it was headed but that wasn't the case. A minute later the phone vibrated in her hand and the response that she got back from Bo read, _"That's too bad because I could use a very thorough exam Dr. Lewis." _A second message immediately followed the first one, _"And I'm in your bed thinking about how that sexy body of yours would feel under mine and wondering what type of moaner you are. You seem like the soft quite moaner. Those types of moans really turn me on."_

Lauren felt a sudden throb between her legs as her mind began to think about Bo being on top of her and touching her. Trying to shake the hold that her arousal had on her Lauren cleared her throat then sent back, _"You're drunk aren't you?"_

Dealing with a drunk Bo wasn't high on her list of things to do but at least she would have an entertaining night. Lauren needed one considering the current scandal that was overshadowing her campaign. Twenty minutes later the car pulled up to a town home that was located in the more affluent section of DC. Sean told Lauren to stay put before he got out and once he was out of the car another agent got in to take his place. They sat in the running vehicle and waited for the all clear then once they got it Lauren was escorted inside. She was standing in the small foyer taking off her shoes when Sean walked down the steps with a cheeky grin on his face. She got a sceptical look on her face as she asked him, "What did you find?"

He shook his head and told her, "Have a good night Lauren. My guys will be posted in their typical locations."

Sean walked out of the front door and Lauren stared at the door with a perplexed look on her face for a moment. Then she looked up the stairs. She was hesitant to go up them because she was afraid of what she would find. She knew that it wasn't something that could harm her because Sean had given the all clear so the only other thing that she could think of was that Bo had done something. She took her time going up the stair and as she did so she called out, "Bo..."

There was no answer. Lauren closed her eyes for moment. She silently hoped that Bo wasn't lying in her bed naked but a small part of her hoped that she was. Lauren reached her room door and as she placed her hand on the door knob she took a deep breath then turned it before pushing it open. Lauren smiled at what she found in the room and Bo was on the bed grinning at her. "Surprise."

There was soft music playing and Bo had lit a few candles. Lauren smiled when she saw the bottle of wine sitting on the nightstand next to two wine glasses. She undid the button of her suit jacket then went into her closet to hang it up and as she walked out she grinned, "I thought you were thirsty?"  
>Bo got off the bed then poured them both a glass of wine. She walked over to Lauren and handed her a glass of wine, "Well I had to make you think I was up to no good."<p>

Lauren took a sip from her glass then teased, "You mean to say you aren't right now?"

Bo ran the tip of her tongue across her bottom lip then bit it before saying, "Possibly. Entirely so if you still want to play doctor."

Lauren chuckled and placed the back of her hand on Bo's forehead as she smirked, "Well you don't seem warm so you don't need a medical professional."

Bo took a gentle hold of her wrist and guided Lauren's hand down to her chest. There was a seductive look on her face as she suggested, "You might need to check other areas to make sure."

Lauren pulled her hand away then sighed, "I'm sorry Bo. I-" She sighed again, "I'm sorry."

She was about to move so she could go into the bathroom but Bo stopped her and said, "No…I'm sorry Lauren. I-I shouldn't have-Shit." Bo ran her hand through her hair and told her, "You've had a shitty day and I'm doing what I always do."

"What's that?"

Bo got a small smile on her face, "Using sex to deflect real emotions." Lauren caught a glimpse of vulnerability in Bo's eyes but before she could say anything Bo chuckled then took her hand, "How about you go take a shower and when you get out I can give you a massage while you tell me all about your day?"

Lauren felt her body respond to the idea of having Bo's hands on her and she cleared her throat before saying, "I don't know about-"

"It's all platonic Lauren. You look tense and nice shower along with a shoulder rub could help with that." Bo held up a finger and added, "We can even do this downstairs on the couch. I'm certain there is a Secret Service agent lingering around to make sure we keep it G-rated."

Lauren chuckled. This was a new side of Bo. So far the only side of Bo that she had seen was the flirtatious overly sexual Bo. A tender, caring Bo was a little suspicious. Lauren took a drink of her wine then asked, "What are you doing Bo?"

Bo shrugged and stated, "I'm trying to be nice. Isn't that why you called me over?"

Lauren had yet to figure out why she had called Bo over. She had been caught off guard with the whole Veronica thing and she had acted impulsively. She had called Bo because she was a distraction and she needed that distraction. She smiled at Bo then told her, "You're a distraction."

One of Bo's eyebrows went up as she repeated, "A distraction?" Lauren gave her a slight nod and Bo grinned, "Then I will be the best distraction you will ever have."

Lauren chuckled and shook her head as she said, "I'm going to go shower."

Bo laughed and Lauren headed into the bathroom. Lauren took a quick shower and when she got out of the bathroom wearing only her towel she saw that both Bo and the wine were gone. She towel dried her hair as she thought about this new side of Bo that she was seeing. Lauren realised that had the brunette shown this side of her personality first instead of being brazenly sexual towards her she probably would have been nicer to her in the beginning. Lauren got dressed then went downstairs to the living room where she found Bo on the couch watching the evening news. As soon as she saw Lauren Bo turned off the TV and wondered, "What does your campaign advisor Olivia think about the latest publicity stunt against you?"

"It's not a publicity stunt." Lauren said as she sat down on the couch next to Bo. "Veronica loved Rachel." Saying it out loud again for the second time today made her feel as though her wife had been a stranger to her yet at the same time it hurt because someone else was able to love Rachel in a way that she had been unable to. Lauren ran her hand through her hair and sighed, "She wants Rachel's killer found and so do I."

Bo turned around on the couch and told her, "Turn around and take off the sweater." Lauren got a hesitant look on her face which caused Bo to roll her eyes and scoff, "I told you this is platonic." Lauren stared at her a moment longer then did what she was told. Bo began to massage her shoulders through the thin t-shirt that she was wearing. Lauren's eyes drifted close as Bo's talented hands worked through the knots that were caused from the stress that she had allowed to build up on her shoulders. When Bo got to a particularly tense area Lauren let out a soft moan as the tension was massaged from her muscles. A soft chuckle came from Bo, "I knew you were a quiet moaner."

Lauren's eyes snapped open as she responded, "I didn't moan."

Bo chuckled again, "No. Of course you didn't." There was a moment of silence between them then Bo asked, "What does Olivia think about your wife's affair?"

Lauren took a deep breath then sighed, "She seems to think it's a move against the campaign but after I told her about Veronica and Rachel's relationship she seemed to have backed down." Lauren took a deep breath then sighed, "She's going to release a statement and if things get worse then I'm supposed to drag my dead wife's name and her lover through the mud."

Bo let out a soft snort, "Ah general DC politics. Play nice then if things don't go quietly destroy it all and obliterate the names and reputation of all those involved." Bo's hands stopped moving then when she continued talking so did the massage that she was giving Lauren, "I thought you were above all that."

Lauren turned and looked back at Bo with a smile on her face, "I thought you were used to all this politics stuff?"

Bo's ministrations were now located on Lauren's lower back as she explained, "I am. It's just that…" Bo trailed off and she was quite for a moment before saying, "My moron of a father is a puppet for the oil companies and religious nut jobs. They throw money at him all the time. Some of it is for his campaign and sometimes it isn't. But he wants to keep that flow of money coming in so he's going to say and do things to appease them." Bo paused for a second as she focused her attention on the muscles along Lauren's spine which caused a shiver to run through her but she was brought back to the moment when Bo said, "And I think it's shady politics and it's that type of mindset that will lead to the destruction of this country."She sighed, "You have morals and convictions. The money hasn't changed you and you haven't been exposed to the corrupt political atmosphere that's in DC. It's your newness to national politics that has people supporting you. But if you do something of that nature Lauren then you'll be losing that appeal and potentially a part of yourself."

Lauren remained quiet because she didn't know what to say. She would like to say that the campaign hadn't changed her much but she knew that wasn't true. The campaign had changed her a lot but that was mostly in regards to moulding her as a candidate that was worthy of being elected president. Lauren felt that she had the same convictions and aspirations that she had when she begun her race for the presidency. The only difference now was that she was a bit sharper and she didn't have Rachel. Lauren sighed then asked, "What am I to do Bo? The woman went on television and told people about her and Rachel. Am I to just ignore it and hope it will go away?"

"Yes because this isn't about you. This is about Rachel and you need to make sure people know that." Bo insisted as her hands stopped moving.

Lauren moved away from Bo then leant forward to get her wine glass off the table and after she took a big drink from it she chuckled, "This is where you naiveté is showing. She was my wife Bo. That is the only way people knew Rachel." She took another drink of wine then remarked, "I guess being the Senator's wild child makes you oblivious to that. One minute you're screwing a celebrity the next minute you're in rehab. They get something new with you every day. With me there has to be consistency."

Bo scoffed and countered, "You don't know anything about that so I would stay away from that topic if I were you."

Lauren looked at Bo out the corner of her eye and saw that she had a serious expression on her face. She knew that she had struck a chord with the normally flippant Bo. As the silence settled between them Lauren took small sips from her glass to preoccupy herself from the tension that was between them. That happened a lot with them. Their conversation would venture into a territory that neither of them was ready to discuss so the two of them would stop talking. Usually it was Bo who would say something that would stop the conversation but tonight it was Lauren. She sat back and rested her had on the back of the couch before letting it roll to the side so she could look at Bo, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone there."

Bo took a deep breath then shook her head, "It doesn't matter. It is what it is."

Lauren often wondered about Bo and why she was the way she was and nothing feasible would come to mind. Her parents were happily married. She had a good educational background and she was well versed in life. Nothing about her said wild daughter of a Senator but she was. Lauren soon realised that she had been staring a Bo and she quickly turned her head to look at the black TV screen in front of her. "I'm going south for the next three months. It could be longer if things don't go to Olivia's liking."

Bo a soft grunt then commented, "They'll eat you alive down there. My father has the South in his pocket and Grant seems to be a favourite down there as well." She looked at Lauren, "I would stick with more open-minded areas."

Lauren rolled her eyes and pointed out, "That's not going to get me the votes I need to win the election Bo. We have to try."

Bo nodded and agreed, "You do have to try Lauren but I'm letting you know right now that you have some formidable competition that is already established down there."

Lauren rolled her eyes and looked up at the ceiling, "I'm not getting into this with you because it will lead to another round of silence and I'm not ready for that yet. That's not why I asked you to come over."

"Oh are we finally going to get to the real reason as to why you asked me over here?" Bo wondered.

Lauren glanced at her and told her, "I told you the reason why I wanted you to come over. You're a distraction Bo. A distraction that I like having around."

Bo got an irritated look on her face but as quickly as the look appeared it was gone in an instant. "If that helps you sleep at night sweetheart." She said in a tone that was so sarcastic that it almost made Lauren laugh because she found it cute in an endearing way.

Lauren bit the inside of her lip as she thought about what she was going to say next. She knew that nothing good that could come from it but she also held onto the hope that maybe something could. "I know our first three stops will be North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia."

Bo finished off her wine and commented, "Sounds like a good start. Hopefully there are heavy campaign initiatives down there for you."

Lauren let out an aggravated breath as she began to sulk. Bo was completely missing the point of the conversation and Lauren didn't want to spell it out for her so she was going to call it a night. "Yeah I hope so too. Look I'm getting tired and one of Olivia's people will be coming over in the morning so we can start prepping for the southern tour. So I think I'm going to head to bed."

Bo looked at her with a stunned expression on her face before saying, "Oh. Okay." They looked at each other for a moment then she asked, "Will one of your agents be taking me home or am I on my own?"

Lauren grimaced when she realised that she had forgotten to arrange a ride for Bo, "You're going to have to call a cab. I'm sorry"

Bo nodded as she got up and said, "It's no problem." Lauren got up and followed Bo to the door. Once she had her shoes and jacket on she looked at Lauren and there was a moment's hesitation between them. Lauren noticed that Bo's eyes had dropped down to her lips and it was in that split second that she wanted to feel them on her own but the feeling quickly passed. She turned her head so Bo couldn't read the expression on her face. Bo cleared her throat then said, "I think after LA I'm going to go to Tokyo for the next few months."

"What?" Lauren blurted out. This was the first time Bo had mentioned any job in Japan.

Bo pointed over her shoulder and told her, "There's this new fashion designer based out of there and this fashion company wants me to do the shoot for his new line that's set to debut this winter."

Lauren was still amazed by the news and she repeated, "Three months?"

Bo shrugged and smiled, "It'll go by fast. Those gigs are usually work, work, work most of the time."

Still stunned by the news Lauren shook her head and told her, "You can't do that."

"Why can't I do that?"

Lauren opened her mouth to explain the reason why Bo couldn't go to Japan but then she realised that she had no explanation so she closed it. Lauren cleared her throat then told her, "You know what? Never mind. You can do that."

For a fleeting moment Lauren thought she had seen disappointment in Bo's eyes but it happened so fast that she wasn't sure of what she had seen. Bo gave her a small smile then as she turned to leave she said, "Have a good night Lauren."

Lauren thanked her and returned the sentiment as she left. After locking the front door she went through the house and turned off the lights. Her evening with Bo definitely didn't go the way that she had expected it to but then again she had no idea as to why she called Bo over in the first place. Lauren just knew that instead of feeling relaxed and light all she felt was a feeling of uncertainty because she was worried that things had changed between them. A lot of what she was feeling was caused by the bombshell that Bo had dropped on her. After Lauren cleaned up their wineglasses she went up to her room and climbed into bed. As she was getting comfortable she realised why she didn't want Bo to go to Japan. Lauren reached over and got her phone off the nightstand then texted Bo, _"I'll miss you."_

Not expecting a text back Lauren put her phone back on the nightstand then took a sleeping pill before settling into her pillows. The pills were beginning to do their job when her phone vibrated on the nightstand. She reached for it then read the message, _"I'll miss you too."_

Lauren was groggy and seeing those four words on the screen made her acutely aware of the fact that she had come to rely on Bo as someone that she could lean on. And the thought of being without that for three months made her panic especially since primaries were going to be held in four months. She knew it was selfish but she did it anyway, _"Don't go."_

She set the phone down on the pillow next to her head and closed her eyes. She was feeling vulnerable and the thought of being away from Bo caused her to feel things that she wasn't quite ready to face. The phone vibrated again and when she looked at the screen the message she read caused a wide smile to appear on her face, _"Okay."_

Lauren was both happy and relieved by Bo's response and she wanted to keep the conversation going but the pills were making her tired. Lauren sent her a thank you then placed her phone back on the nightstand. She got comfortable again only this time she was happy and not pensive. Bo caused her a lot of confusion emotionally and she wasn't ready to address her feelings or thoughts on the woman but she was happy whenever Bo was around and in her mind that had to count for something.

* * *

><p>Olivia walked into the kitchen of her apartment and placed the carryout container on the counter. She was happy to have the night off even though she was going to use the time to go over her press release along with the numbers for each candidate. Preliminary numbers told her that Lauren wasn't going to do well in the south but there was a progressive movement down there that favoured Fitz and she hoped that Lauren could take those voters from him. Olivia went into her room and changed clothes before going back into kitchen to make herself a plate of food. Once she was settled on the couch with her food, wine, and reports she turned on the TV to the twenty-four hour news channel for background noise. Olivia was making notes about certain issues that Lauren had never made a stance on so wanted to make sure that they were addressed in her next few speeches. There was a knock on her front door and Olivia let out a heavy sigh before glancing at the clock on the mantel. It was close to one and she wasn't sure who would be coming to see here at this hour. The era of her having late night visitors had come to an end three months ago so she was going to ignore it. The knocking became more persistent so Olivia got up and answered the door. When she opened the door she found a bleary eyed Cyrus looking at her. Olivia rolled her eyes and let him in, "What are you doing here Cyrus?"<p>

Cyrus walked in then turned to look at her, "If it's not one thing it is another. The Lewis campaign is just a lightning rod for controversy."

Olivia let out an annoyed sigh then walked over to the coffee table so she could get her wineglass and as she made her way to the kitchen she asked, "Do you want a glass of wine or something Cy?"

He followed her into the kitchen and said, "No. No I don't want any of your traitorous wine."

Olivia opted for a glass of water and after taking a drink she asked, "Why are you here?"

Cyrus walked into the living room and flopped down on the couch as he told her, "James and I are fighting. Sometimes I think Dr. Lewis had the right idea by killing off her wife. I should have James murdered. Then that way I won't have to worry about his incessant nagging all the time." He laid down on the couch and remarked, "I am the man behind the man. And yet all my husband cares about is why I'm not home enough or why we haven't started a family yet."

Olivia chuckled and went into the living room. She sat in the chair next to the couch and told him, "Be careful with that last one. It's the reason why Rachel was having an affair."

Cyrus let out an exasperated breath then commented, "Families are overrated. And what would I look like carrying a drooling infant?"

Olivia chuckled then said, "I think it would be cute Cy."

He snorted then told her, "And you and Fitz would have had adorable children."

There was a beat of silence between them before Olivia told him, "Fitz and I would be terrible parents. He'd be too soft and I would always be the bad guy. In the end I'd probably leave him and the kids."

They both laughed because it was highly likely. Cyrus sighed and told her, "Well that is true. You are no Mellie."

Olivia scoffed then remarked, "Don't do that Cyrus. Mellie and I are two different people." She sighed and said, "We haven't done this in awhile Cy. I've missed it."

He looked at her and quipped with a smile on his face, "That's because you're a traitor."

Olivia shook her head and told him, "Go home Cyrus. Make up with your husband and give him babies. Or give him a baby."

Cyrus sat up and said, "I'll think about it. Good luck with the press conference tomorrow."

"How did you know that I'm having a press conference tomorrow?"

Cyrus got up and as the two of them headed to the front door he explained, "A shit storm has begun and you're going to do your best to make sure Lauren comes out of it looking like the victim and that people blame her murdered wife." He smirked, "I know how you operate Liv. Remember four years ago we were a team trying to get Fitz elected."

Olivia gave him a small smile, "I remember Cyrus." He opened the door and she leaned against it and said, "Cy we need to do this again."

He gave her a quick hug then told her, "Oh we will because Lauren will lose and you'll need someone to vent to."

Olivia laughed then gave him a gentle nudge out door, "Go home Cyrus."

He told her goodnight as he departed. After closing and locking the door Olivia smiled. Knowing that she and Cyrus were on somewhat amicable terms when he was slightly drunk was a good thing. Now if she could only get to the same point with Fitz which most likely wasn't going to happen. Olivia sighed then went to go get ready for bed.

* * *

><p><strong>Alright so we got some BoLo interaction. Hopefully I can get this one updated quicker so I can start posting some sequels but we'll see what life has in store. Thank you for reading and big thanks if you review.<strong>


	6. Presidential Dinner

****I half-assed on the editing. I hope it isn't too terrible. Also it's short. ****

****Disclaimer: ****I do not own the LG characters they belong to the wonderful people of Lost Girl, Showcase, Prodigy, et al. And all Scandal characters belong to the Goddess Shonda Rhimes, Shondaland, and ABC.********

* * *

><p><em>The warm sun was heating up her skin and Lauren let out a soft moan as she buried her toes in the white sand. She hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time. Delicate fingers glided up her stomach which caused a small smirk to appear on her face. A soft kiss was placed on the top of her shoulder and Lauren opened her eyes to find playful brown ones looking down at her. Bo kissed her then pulled back grinning, "You know Madame President having sex on a public beach isn't very presidential like."<em>

_Lauren chuckled and remarked, "That's what Secret Service is for. To keep the prying eyes away. Also it's a secluded beach." She sat up and gave Bo a deep kiss before pulling back to whisper, "Plus I hear the First lady isn't too shy about exhibitionism."_

_Bo pretended to be surprised and gasped, "You're married? Madame President I am surprised."_

_Lauren grinned then murmured against Bo's neck, "Oh I don't think my wife will mind."_

_There was a ringing noise and as Lauren moved her head away from Bo's neck she asked, "What is that?"_

_Bo kissed her then told her, "Time for you to go back to work."_

"_I don't want to go back to work." Lauren pouted._

_The ringing continued and Bo smiled, "I'll be right here when you get back."_

_Lauren looked into Bo's deep brown eyes, "Promise?"_

_Bo chuckled then replied, "Promise. Now go back to work."_

Lauren woke up and her mind was a myriad of confusion thanks to the dream that she had just experienced. All night her sleep had been plagued with a series of dreams that didn't make sense. And that last one didn't make the slightest sense to her but her skin tingled with anticipation hoping for Bo's touch. Feeling that no sleep was better than being tortured with dreams of her and Bo naked on a beach Lauren decided that she was going to stop taking sleeping pills. She heard the door bell ring and groaned. Lauren got out of bed then put on her robe before going downstairs to answer the door. She answered it and she saw that Olivia's redheaded associate Abby was on her front porch. Lauren let her in and said, "Good Morning Abby."

Abby walked into the living room and stated, "Go shower because on Monday morning you will be on a bus that is headed to North Carolina and according to Olivia's research you need to cover a lot of key points that you have yet to speak on." Abby looked up from her phone then asked, "Is coffee made?" Lauren shook her head no and Abby began to walk back to the kitchen, "I'll make some. Liv will be over here sometime before noon so we can get you ready for tonight's fundraiser and the dinner. Then we have a long list of things that we need to do so that we can prepare you for tomorrow's press dinner."

Lauren was still trying to recover from the dream that she had woken up from so she just nodded her head and went upstairs. She walked over to her nightstand and picked up the phone that was lying on it and texted Bo, _"I had a very interesting dream that starred you."_

She wasn't expecting a response because it was nine in the morning. Lauren tossed the phone onto the bed then rubbed her hands over her face and groaned. This was going to be a long day and she was going to need a lot of coffee. If she was distracted Olivia would know that something was up and that would lead to a long discussion about how she needed to be more focused on the campaign. Lauren headed into the bathroom and had a quick shower. When she got out of the shower the first thing she did was check her phone and she found that she had one message waiting for her. Lauren opened it, _"Oh do tell me it was a dream where both you and I are naked."_

Lauren smirked and sent back,_ "Do you really think my subconscious would let me have a sex dream about you and I?"_

She dropped the phone on the bed and began to get dressed. While she was brushing her hair the phone vibrated so she went over and checked it. She opened the text and read it, _"Well it is your subconscious doctor. But I think...and this is just me taking a wild guess...but based on the way you act around me I think there is some part of you that wants to be at my mercy and have me make you come until your body is begging for me to stop."_

Lauren gawked at the message. The dull throb that she had woken up with, but had managed to get rid of, came back in full force and Lauren's pulse began to race. It only took a few choice words from Bo to illicit a sexual response within her. Lauren was still looking at her phone when Abby walked into her room asking, "Are you ready to-What's the matter?" Lauren looked up at the red head who had a questioning look on her face and stared at her for a minute. Abby asked again, "What's the matter Lauren? You look flushed."

Lauren shook her head then cleared her throat, "Nothing. I-I-I-Have you seen my numbers in the South?" She scoffed, "It's an embarrassment. Are we sure it's worth the time to even go down there?"

Abby smiled and told her, "Of course. Now let's go so we can get you ready to steal those votes from the Grant administration."

Lauren nodded her head quickly then said, "Yeah definitely. I just need to brush my teeth real quick."

Abby told her okay then headed out of the room. Lauren didn't need to brush her teeth. She just wanted Abby to leave so she could text Bo back. _"I'm prepping with Olivia all day today. You CAN NOT_ do that to me."

Lauren took a few steadying breaths but just as she was about to walk out of the room her phone went off. She read the message, _"Oh then today will be quite an interesting day for you doctor."_

Lauren scowled at the phone in her hand and muttered, "Well she can't have any effect on me if I turn off my phone." And Lauren did just that before heading downstairs so she could begin her prep work with Abby.

* * *

><p><em>The Next Evening...<em>

Olivia walked through the security check point for the press dinner as she tucked her invitation back into her clutch. Lauren would be arriving moments later but Olivia had arrived first so she could get a feel of the room and see how receptive those in attendance would be to the unknown that was taking Washington by surprise. Lauren truly was a remarkable candidate and Olivia was now beginning to see why Cara had decided to work with her. Cara had called her more than a dozen times since she had left for Boston. Each call was about Lauren and her wellbeing. Olivia had decided that Cara's feelings for Lauren were going to become problematic so she was going to leave her in DC to garner Lauren some support on the Hill while Lauren did her three month tour of the south. Olivia's thoughts were interrupted when the First Lady and President Grant walked into the atrium. A path was cleared for them and Olivia was on the right side just before the doors for the dining room. Fitz and Mellie were a few feet away from her when she and Fitz locked eyes. Olivia's breath caught and Fitz stared at her for a second. In that second enough emotion passed between the two of them that Olivia was certain that everyone else surrounding them could feel it. Fitz's commanding presence but approachable nature drew Olivia in and she had to remember to remind herself of their surroundings. The moment was broken when a member of congress started speaking with Fitz. Olivia started to make her way into the dining room but she heard a familiar voice calling out her name. She placed a placating smile on her face before turning around to say, "Mellie it is so good to see you."

Mellie walked over to her and they shared a brief hug then the First Lady took hold of Olivia's hands stating, "It has been far too long. I was beginning to think that you had left DC all together then you started showing up on the Lewis campaign." Mellie let out a brief laugh then smiled, "I was a bit surprised considering all you did to get Fitz elected."

Olivia's cheeks were starting to ache from smiling so hard. She let out a small chuckle, "Well I was presented with the opportunity to help a newcomer in DC politics so I decided it would be well worth it."

Mellie placed her hand on her chest and exclaimed, "Oh. Well I thought it was because she had murdered her wife that you were called in to help 'The People's Doctor.'"

Olivia's smile widened and she replied in a cordial manner, "Well Mellie had Dr. Lewis murdered her wife I'm certain she wouldn't be running an active campaign."

"People tend to do desperate things in trying times." Mellie told her and even though she had that charming First Lady smile on her face her eyes held nothing but a condescending look in them.

Olivia was about to excuse herself but Fitz came walking over to her and Mellie and it was impolite to ignore the President. She swore under her breath because she had allowed herself to be trapped by Mellie. Fitz wrapped an arm around Mellie's waist and said, "Ms. Pope I'm surprised to see that you have graced us with your presence tonight."

Olivia continued to smile even though being in Fitz's presence made her weak in the knees. "My candidate was invited and I had to make sure that she wasn't attacked by the sharks." Olivia joked.

Fitz's eyebrows rose as she repeated, "Sharks?" Then he asked, "Am I one of those sharks because if I remember correctly you were once a shark."

Olivia chuckled then remarked, "People change Mr. President."

Fitz gave Olivia a tight smile then Mellie said, "Well we must go. There are attendees we need to meet with. It was good seeing you again Olivia. Don't be a stranger."

The expression on Mellie's face told Olivia that she knew the why Olivia wasn't welcomed at the White House. As the First Lady and the President walked away Fitz gave Olivia a fleeting glance and with one look she knew that he still loved her as much as she loved him.

* * *

><p>Lauren walked into the bustling atrium and she was trying hard to remember how to breathe. But being surrounded by the influential people that ran the country caused an overwhelming feeling come over her. Lauren had a fleeting thought of how Rachel wouldn't have enjoyed the event because it was too much brown nosing for her liking and that thought was then followed by the fact that Rachel probably would have left her before the press dinner. Lauren felt like a fish out of water but she had a smile on her face as she politely nodded at those who walked by her. Several people had stopped to talk to her about the campaign and, to her surprise, Rachel's murder. After an hour of mingling and an hour before dinner was about to start Lauren had managed to escape to a secluded corridor to get away from the crowd of people. She was drinking a glass of water and looking out of a window that gave her a perfect view of the Washington monument. Going stag to an event like this wasn't high on her to list of things to do and it made her miss Rachel even more. Then she realised that she would have gone stage regardless. Lauren heard the click of heels coming down the corridor and she turned to see who it was. When she saw who it was she stated, "I should have told Sean that I wanted to left alone."<p>

Bo walked closer to her and remarked, "I think Sean already knows that I hold a special place with you."

Lauren hummed then took a sip of water before saying, "I think you're delusional on that one. How did you get in here?"

Bo chuckled and told her, "I have my ways. Why don't you look happy to be here?"

Lauren didn't look Bo instead she continued to look at the monument in front of her. Eventually she sighed, "I don't think I'm cut out to do this Bo." She looked at Bo who was waiting for her to finish. "It's emotionally draining to plaster a fake smile on my face and pretend I care about the pretentious assholes who walk around here." She paused and looked back out the window, "Before I had Rachel who wouldn't take this type of thing seriously and now I have no one and that further adds to me feeling like crap so I'm just not in a good mood."

Bo moved closer to her then placed her hand on Lauren's forearm as she said in a low voice, "You aren't alone Lauren. You have me." She then corrected herself, "You have me if you want me."

Lauren looked at Bo and she resisted the urge to touch her cheek. She gave her a small smile, "I can't have you Bo. You're problematic for my campaign on several levels and I don't think I'm ready for a relationship."

Bo leaned in close to Lauren and she could feel the body heat radiating off of her and it caused Lauren to bite the inside of her lip as her body responded to the close proximity of the brunette. Bo whispered, "I'm not asking for a relationship Lauren. I'm letting you know that you're not alone and that I want to be the support that you need."

Lauren looked into Bo's eyes and she saw the severity in them. She looked away to prevent herself from getting caught up in those beautiful brown eyes. She sighed, "What about your father and the ever present cameras that are around you?"

"I don't care about my father and so what about the cameras? Once I lose my appeal they'll disappear." She let out a frustrated sigh, "I'm not going to argue with you Lauren but you know how to reach me if you need someone to talk to."

Bo turned around and walked away from Lauren. She wanted to call her back and spend the whole night with her but it wasn't practical. So Lauren sighed and continued to look out the window hoping to find some sort of solace in the view before her.

* * *

><p>Lauren had disappeared. Olivia had seen her at the table during the dinner and she was there during the president's speech but at some point Lauren had disappeared. Now Olivia was looking around the large atrium wondering where the blonde could have gone. Sean was still at the event which meant Lauren had slipped her detail. Olivia went into a closed off room that was off of the main area and she was about to call Huck to have him track down Lauren's cell phone but right when she had taken out her phone she heard a recognizable voice say, "You look beautiful tonight."<p>

Olivia's pulse began to race and she took a deep breath before turning to look at Fitz who was occupying one of the empty chairs that was being kept in the small room. The tailored suit he wore looked perfect on him and she did her best to keep herself from staring to long. Olivia cleared her throat then brushed her hair out of her face, "Thank you. Why are you in a room all by yourself?"

Fitz made a gesture behind him and said, "I'm not by myself. Tom is hiding in a corner somewhere and I'm certain Terry is also around making sure I'm not to be bothered along with some twenty other agents dispersed through the crowd. How did you slip by?"

Olivia chuckled and countered, "I didn't _slip_ by. I came in here to make a call. I didn't know you were in here."

Fitz chuckled then remarked, "There used to be a time when you knew all about my location."

Olivia stayed close to the door because she didn't trust that she would be able to prevent herself from giving into the strong desire to touch Fitz and the even stronger desire to kiss him. Olivia got a small smile on her face as she told him, "That's because you told me where you were or Cyrus would let me know. Why are you in here?"

Fitz shrugged and stated, "I'm the President. I can go pretty much anywhere I want."

Olivia crossed her arms in front of her, "That pretty pretentious. When did you get that way?"

He smirked and joked, "I've always been pretty pretentious but I think that's one of the things that you loved about me."

Olivia couldn't resist rolling her eyes, "Or it's something that I chose to ignore. And I-" She almost went down a path that had come and gone for them. When the two of them fell into a playful exchange the feelings that Olivia had for Fitz came too readily to the surface.

She saw Fitz's eyebrows go up as an amazed look came over his face. Olivia bit her tongue because she wasn't going to get into the conversation unless he did. There was a short-lived silence that existed between them for a moment then Olivia gave him a tight smile, "I need to go Fitz. I need to make an important call."

"I'm not keeping you here Liv. You could have left at any point." He let out a soft chuckle, "You've proved many times over the last three months that I have no control over you."

Olivia let out a quiet laugh then shook her head and before she turned around she told him, "Have a good evening Mr. President."

She had begun to reach for the door knob when Fitz called out, "Liv wait."

Olivia didn't turn around because she knew if she did so then she wouldn't be able to leave. Instead she told him in a voice loud enough for him to hear, "I can't Fitz."

She heard his footsteps behind her and wasn't long before Olivia felt his hands on her bare shoulders. The warmth from them radiated throughout her entire body. Olivia's eyes slid close as she inhaled sharply through her nose. It had been so long since Fitz had last touched her and having him so close and touching her was enough to make Olivia lose herself for a moment. Olivia leaned back into his sturdy body and Fitz's hands slowly made their way down her bare arms as he whispered, "I miss you Liv." She heard him inhale deeply before saying, "Come back to me Liv. Please."

It was that one request that brought Olivia back to reality and she quietly told him, "Not now Fitz." She then began to explain her answer, "You're running a re-election campaign and I'm running Lauren's campaign it wouldn't be right for anyone involved."

And that was all it took for their moment to pass. Fitz scoffed and commented, "Yeah well none of this would have to happen if you would ditch the doctor. You know she can't get elected Olivia so why are you even trying?" He made and idle gesture as he got more upset, "And don't say you owe it to her. What do you hope to gain in getting her elected?"

Olivia turned and looked at him as she said, "I'm not sure Fitz but she is a good person who was dealt some shitty cards and I want to help her the best that I can."

Fitz scoffed then retorted, "Sure Liv you just want to help her." He gestured towards her, "You're Olivia fricking Pope. There has to be something in it for you."

Olivia wasn't going to allow this conversation to go any further. She took a deep breath and looked him in his eyes as she told him, "Even if there was a reason I wouldn't tell you Fitz because I'm not certain you would understand." She shook her head then said, "I have to go. Have a good night Fitz."

She left out of the room then headed outside. She found an area that was far from the crowd and she took several deep breaths to get her feelings in order. Once she felt in control of her emotions and bodily urges she pulled out her phone and called Huck who answered on the first ring. "Huck Lauren is missing. I need you to find her."

While he tapped away on his keyboard Olivia looked around at the people who were walking around outside the Kennedy Center. She didn't take in any of the faces or those that gave her a slight wave. Olivia was still thinking about what had happened with her and Fitz moments ago. She wanted to go back in and tell him that she was going to give it all up but she couldn't. She had gotten Fitz elected in a backroom Washington deal and wanted something that validated the fact that she still had morals. That she wasn't corrupted by DC politics. "Liv I've got nothing." Huck eventually said to her.

She sighed then told him, "Keep an eye on her phone, credit cards, anything."

Huck told her okay and Olivia headed back inside. She didn't want her absence to be noticed. As Olivia walked into the building Sean rushed up to her and told her, "She called me."

"Where is she?" Olivia demanded wanting to know where Lauren was. She couldn't believe how stupid the woman was considering that her wife's killer was still out there somewhere.

Sean grimaced then told her, "I'm not sure. She called me from a number I didn't recognise."

Olivia signalled for him to give her his phone then she got back on the phone to call Huck. As soon as he picked up she told him, "Huck trace all calls that came into this number. Noticeably the last one."

"Sure thing." Came the hacker's gruff response. It wasn't long before he was saying, "I can't trace it Liv. It keeps bouncing off of different towers in the area. I was able to triangulate the bouncing signal for a little while but then it moved into a wider radius."

Olivia swore then told him, "Okay. Thanks Huck and keep an eye on that number." She hung up on him then looked at Sean. "You better hope we find her in the next few hours or it is you job."

Sean gave her a solemn nod then Olivia walked back into the dining room with a calm and collected look on her face. She wasn't going to convey to those around her that her candidate was missing nor was she going to convey that being around Fitz had an effect on her. Olivia was going to get through the rest of dinner then find out where Lauren had gone to as well as figuring out why she did her disappearing act.

* * *

><p><strong>As we all know I am preoccupied with another story but I haven't forgotten about this one. Have I let you down yet? Don't answer that lol. Thanks for reading.<strong>


End file.
